-n 


MEMORIES 

OP'  THE 

"41 ith" 
TELEGRAPH    BATTALION 

IN  THE  WORLD  WAR  HERE 

AND 

"OVER  THERE" 


s»ff 


A/r OBILIZED  at  Presidio  of  Monterey,  Cali- 
fornia, June  29,  1917.  Left  San  Fran- 
cisco, California,  via  Panama  Canal  on  I".  S. 
Steamship  Creat  Northern  January  24,  1918. 
Left  New  York  on  P.  S.  Steanishii)  Covinuton 
for  France  February  18,  1918.  Arrived  Brest, 
France,  March  4,  1918.  Left  Brest,  France,  for 
Pnited  States  on  V.  S.  Steamship  Charleston 
April  10,  1919,  arriviny-  New  York  April  20, 
1919.  I)emol)ilized  at  Presidio  of  San  Fran- 
cisco and  Camp  Lewis,  AVashinuton,  ]\Iay  8th  to 
12th,  1919. 

Information,  ])ictui-es,  maps  and  personal  ex- 
periences prei)arcd  and  gathered  -with  the  as- 
sistance of  members  of  the  Battalion. 

Compiled  and  edited  by  C.  H.  .AlOOKE. 


PRINTED    BY 
CARLISLE  &:   CO.  OK  NEVADA 
RENO, NEVADA 


DEDICATED 

^T^O   our   dearly  beloved   dei)arted   comrades  wlu)   made   the 

sujireme  sacrifice  in  the  service  of  their  country. 

Y.  BARKER  :  Killed  in  action  by  explosion  of  German 
"77"  shell  October  25,  1918,  while  engaged  in  building  tele- 
phone line  near  Very,  France,  during  ]Mense-Argonne  offen- 
sive. Buried  in  cemetery  near  Cheppy,  France,  l)y  his  com- 
rades. Later  body  was  removed  to  military  cemetery  near 
Romagne,  France. 

F.  R.  EMORY :  111  on  board  T^  S.  Steamship  Great  North- 
ern from  San  Francisco  to  Panama.  Left  in  hospital  at  Pan- 
ama, February  2,  1918,  and  died  a  few  days  later.  Body  re- 
moved to  Spokane.  Washington,  and  buried  with  full  military 
honors. 

ERNEST  P.  IRISH:  Sprained  ankle  during  last  days  of 
]\Ieuse-Argonne  just  before  Armistice.  Sent  to  Hospital  and 
then  evacuated  to  L^nited  States.  YHiile  on  ])oard  V.  S.  Steam- 
ship 3Iani  returning  to  United  States  lu^  was  suddenly  stricken 
with  pneumonia,  dying  on  January  24.  1919.  Buried  in  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  with  military  honors. 

JOHN  S.  SLATER:  :\Iember  of  :\ledical  Corps  Detach- 
ment. Taken  ill  while  Battalion  was  at  Brest,  France;  left 
there  in  Hospital  and  died  .March  l-t,  1918.  Buried  in  Mililary 
Cemetery,  Brest,  France. 

P>.  T.  WILEY:  Was  stricken  with  "flu"  wliib'  on  sixM-ial 
duty  in  Paris,  France,  Feln-uary.  1919.  Died  few  days  lalfi-. 
Bnried  in  Military  Cemetery  at   Sm-esness,  iu*ar   I'aris. 

NOTE:  Sergeant  Singleton  of  tlie  :Hi)11i  Field  Sii^nal 
Battalion  was  ]<i]led  at  same  tiii:e  as  l>ai-k'er.  lie  was  atlai-hed 
to  our  organization  for  duly,  and  liis  loss  was  as  keenly  felt  as 
thougli  he  had  a''liiall\-  hecii  one  oj'  our  own  men. 


ond.=ifi33 


FOREWORD 

TX  passiiiiz-  aloiiu'  to  my  old  comrades  and  fi-ieiuls  a  record  of 
the  achievements  of  llu'  '■411th,"  the  writer  wishes  to  take 
the  opportunity  of  thankiiit;-  each  and  every  man  who  has  so 
abl}'  assisted  in  the  furnishinu-  of  pictures,  preparation  of  data, 
maps,  etc.,  and  in  tlie  making  of  suii',ii'estions.  All  have  helped 
to  make  the  story  ])ossihle:  in  fact,  without  this  assistance  the 
book  could  not  have  been  pu])lished.  It  is  not  possible  to  men- 
tion the  individual  names  of  all  those  who  have  so  ably  helped, 
but  each  of  you  Mill  know  your  efforts  and  work  are  most  sin- 
cerely appreciated. 

Xo  attempt  has  been  made  in  this  story  to  record  individual 
achievement :  effort  has  rather  been  made  to  chronicle  in  nar- 
rative form  the  combined  achievements  of  the  Battalion  as  a 
whole.  We  had  many  "star  players"  in  our  outfit,  but  the  real 
accomplishments  Avhicli  we  were  able  to  put  over  were  the  re- 
sult of  "team  work." 

There  are  many  features  in  connection  with  publishing  this 
story  which  the  writer  Avishes  miiiht  have  been  im])r()ved  upon. 
However,  tlie  best  possible  results  have  been  obtained  after 
taking-  into  consideration  all  of  the  difficulties. 

If  the  following-  pages  will  help  to  recall  in  the  years  to 
come  the  friendships  and  comradeships  formed  during  the 
])eriod  of  our  service  for  our  Country,  and  be  the  cause  of  fur- 
ther cementing  the  friendly  relationships  formed  by  luiving 
served  together,  the  wa-iter  will  be  most  happy  and  feel  that 
much  uood  has  been  accomplished. 

C.  li.  MOORE. 


MEMORIES   OF   THE   "411th" 

BY   ONE  OF  THEM 
HELPED   BY  THE  WHOLE  OUTFIT 


THE  CALL  TO  ARMS 

\  FTER  the  I'liited  States  declared  war  against  (iermany, 
'^*- April  6,  1917,  every  red  blooded,  patriotic  American  citizen 
began  asking  himself  these  questions:  "In  what  branch  of 
the  service  should  I  enlist?"  "Where  will  it  be  best  for  men 
to  enlist  and  be  sent  to  France  for  active  duty  at  the  earliest 
possible  date?"  '"Where  should  I  enlist  to  best  serve  my 
country?"  Added  to  these  questions  were  many  as  to  how 
families  would  be  cared  foi-  during  the  absence  of  the  bread 
winner;  Avhat  would  happen  in  case  of  death  or  disability,  etc. 
All  had  felt  instinctively  for  many  months  that  our  country 
must  take  her  i)]ace  with  the  allies  in  the  fight  for  world  liberty 
and  democracy;  however,  now  that  war  had  actually  been  de- 
clared, just  where  and  how  was  each  individual  to  fit  in  and 
"do  his  bit?" 

Very  shortly  after  war  had  been  declared  The  Pacific 
Telephone  and  Telegraph  Company  issued  a  Bulletin  announc- 
ing that  a  Telegrai)h  Battalion  was  to  be  organized,  enrollment 
in  which  was  to  be  composed  entirely  of  employes.  The  Bulle- 
tin also  announced  that  The  Telephone  Company  would  pay  to 
individuals  accepted  by  the  Government  for  service  in  the  pro- 
posed Battalion  the  difference  between  their  i)ay  at  time  of  en- 
tering service  and  the  government  pay,  for  a  period  of  at  least 
one  year.  Applications  for  enlistment  were  sent  to  all  por- 
tions of  the  Company's  territory,  comprising  the  States  of  Cali- 
fornia, Nevada,  Oregon,  Washington  and  ])ai-t  of  Idaho.  The 
question  as  to  "where  to  enlist"  foi*  men  in  the  teleplione  and 
telegraph  sei-vice  was  iunnediately  answ(U'C(l   b_\'  Ihis  plan,  as 


8  .MHMOIMMS  OF  TIIK  '•411Tir' 

it  iu)t  only  ot't'ciH'd  a  fii'ld  wlicr;*  the  1  (M-liiiical  altility  and  knowl- 
edge of  telei)liont'  and  ttdo.uraph  men  could  he  best  utilized  in 
serving-  their  (.'ountry.  hut  also  i)resented  the  opportunity  of  be- 
coming- affiliated  -with  an  organization  eonii)osed  of  men  who 
had  been  trained  to  think  along  the  same  lines,  thus  at  once  es- 
tablis'liing  a  bond  of  rellowship  and  comradeship.  The  ex- 
tremely genei-()us  proi)Osal  of  1'he  Telephone  Company  to  pay 
the  differenei'  in  wages  for  a  pei-iod  of  one  year  also  enabled 
many  older  men  who  would  not  have  been  snbject  to  draft,  and 
who  had  fannlies,  to  enter  tlie  service  at  once,  thns  giving  to 
their  country  the  benefit  of  older  experience  whicdi  otherwise 
mig-ht  have  been  deferred  until  provision  for  their  dependents 
conld  have  been  made.  The  answer  to  the  call  for  enlistments 
was  immediate  and  spontaneous,  resulting'  in  nearly  one  thous- 
aiul  applications.  As  only  one  Hattalion  consisting  of  approx- 
imately two  hundred  fifteen  enlisted  men  and  ten  officers  was 
to  be  organized  at  that  time,  it  became  necessary  to  select  those 
who  were  to  go.  These  selections  were  made  with  two  i)rincipal 
objects  in  view:  to  sentl  those  best  ((ualified  and  retain  those 
who  were  most  necessary  to  maintain  telephone  service  at  home. 
]\rany  had  to  be  disai)pointed  and  to  be  "good  soldiers"  by  re- 
maining behind  to  perform  the  highly  important  work  which  it 
was  apparent  would  have  to  be  done  in  civilian  capacities.  The 
writei-,  in  passing-,  wishes  to  remark  upon  the  splendid  spirit 
and  sjiortsmanship  shown  by  those  men  who  were  thus  deprived 
of  a  (lisliiict  advantage  to  serve,  but  who  remained  on  the  .jol) 
or  later  ai^ain  volunteered  to  serve  their  country  under  less 
initial  adxantages. 

During  the  month  of  ^lay  and  first  half  of  June,  1917, 
the  fortunate  men  Avho  had  l)een  selected  to  serve  in  the  Bat- 
talion Avere  busy  with  physical  examinations,  ascertaining  what 
they  should  aiul  should  not  take  to  training  camp  with  them, 
arranging  their  home  and  personal  affairs  for  an  extended  ab- 
sence, aiul  anxiously  awaiting  "the  call."' 

Tn  the  organization  of  the  Battalion  practically  all  the  men 
of  Company  T)  canu^  from  the  Central  and  Southern  Divisions 
in  California  and  Xe\ada  :  Company  E  from  Northern  and  In- 


TIIK  CALI.  TO  ARMS  9 

land    Divisions  in   Oregon,    Wasliin^ton   and   Idaho:    i  Icadijiiar- 
tei's  and  Sui)|)ly   I  Ictai  liincids,   scattered. 

Tuder  date  of  Jnne  21.  1!)17,  the  followinu-  extract  from 
Special  Order  No.  185  was  issned  from  IIead(|narters  Western 
Department,  San  Fi-aneisco,  California: 

S])ecial  Orders,  Xo.  185 
HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT 

San  Francisco,  C'al.,  June  21,  liHT. 
Extract 


15.  In  acc(>rilaiu'e  witli  t('lc'graj)hic  instructions  of  the  t!>th  instant 
from  the  War  Department,  the  Eighth  Telegraph  Battalion,  Signal  Re- 
serve Corps,  consisting  of  the  officers  ami  enlisted  men  hereinafter 
named,  is  called  into  active  service.  Each  officer  and  enlisted  man 
named  will  proceed  to  the  Presidio  of  Monterey,  California,  to  arrive 
not  later  than  the  29th  instant  and  report  to  the  coniniamliiig  officer  for 
station  and  duty. 

OFFICERS: 

Major  Augustus  H.  Griswold. 

Captain  Charles  H.  Moore. 

Captain   William   C.   Barbour. 

First  Lieutenant  Donald   W.  Scott. 

First  Lieutenant  William   H.  Cunan. 

First  Lieutenant  John  T.  Quinn. 

First  Lieutenant  William  H.  Fairbanks. 

First  Lieutenant  George  R.  O.  Rutherfurd. 

First  Lieutenant  Allen  J.  Calloway. 

ENLISTED    MEX: 

Master  Signal   Electricians. 
John  A.  Dolan  and  Elmer  L.  Garrett,  Company  D. 
Frank  P.  Henry  and  Shirley  M.  Treen,  Company  E. 

Serg(>arits   Fiist  Class. 

Julian  Elliott,  Hoadtjuarters   Detaidiment. 

Christopher  S.  Barker,  Alton  B.  Coates,  Ariel  C.  Harris,  Josciih  A. 
Longeran,  Arthur  Lovell,  Harry  J.  McCirew  and  Leigh  R.  Shclton,  Com- 
]>any    D. 

Albert  L.  Beisell,  ('e.-il  A.  lioylc,  David  W.  Evans,  Charles  K.  Jordan, 
Daniel  H.  McNulty,  .lolin  P>.  I'attersoii  and  Aulirey  .\.  Porter,  Com- 
jiany    E. 

Sergeants 

Wallace  W.  True,  Supply  Detachment. 

(Jharles  T.  Abbott,  Lewis  A.  Blair,  .MIxmI  R.  P.Iuc,  TlK.mas  M.  Purns, 
Emmett  J.  Graham,  Alfred  II.  lions,  Fci  ilinaml  II.  Sclnnlitcrnia  n :  lolm 
A.  Sto(dvman,  P^dward  B.  Tnstin,  William  M.  \Vell>  and  Howard  P. 
Worthington,   Comjiany   D. 

Orrin    W.    Bailev,    Albert    W.    Jirant,    Albert    P.    Campbell,    Cii.-irles    F. 


10  :\IKM()RIES  OF  THE  ''411TII" 

Cole,  Ernest  A.  Ilutcliins.  George  E.  McConaiighy,  William  F.  McDonalcT, 
Edwanl  A.  Miller,  .Melviii  W.  Rutledoe  and  Beiie.lift  T.  Wiley,  Coni- 
j)aiiy    K. 

Corporals. 

Paul  I'.  Hoggs,  George  H.  Browne,  James  A.  Cliamberliii,  Herbert  M. 
Coles,  Roilaiid  J.  Cook,  James  L.  Davis,  Herbert  N.  Fairbanks,  George 
G.  Gillett,  Bartholomew  C.  Lally,  Jr.,  Frederick  H.  Landis,  Arthur  K. 
MacN'amara,  Warren  C.  Alerrill,  Louis  W.  Morris,  Fred  J.  Reger,  Charles 
A.  Robb,  George  C.  Thompson  and  Louis  J.  Warde,  Company  I). 

Ri(diard  ]\L  Barrett,  Lawrence  W.  Brainard,  Elton  Connaway,  ^Walter 
1).  Davis,  Charles  R.  Gould,  Walter  L.  Kuhn,  Don  J.  Lundy,  Chester  U. 
Maderia,  Percy  J.  Patterson,  George  A.  Radford,  Roscoe  C.  Riley,  Arno 
\V.  Schussman,  Bert  B.  Smith,  Newman  K.  Staggs,  Carl  L.  Stier,  Edwin 
S.  Thomas  and  John  C.  Williams,  Company  E. 

Privtes  First  Class 

Grant  P.  T)u  Bois.  Ilniold  \V.  Xorthruji  and  Daniel  T).  Woodward, 
Supply  Detachment. 

Albert  S.  Adams,  Roy  A.  Agard,  Alfred  Anderson,  Charles  B.  Atkin- 
son, Bruce  Bacon,  Voltaine  Barker,  Jacob  V.  Bechtold,  Albert  E.  Bevan, 
Henry  Vj.  Biedebach,  James  H.  Blessing,  Con  H.  Cady,  John  A.  Carlson, 
Dani(d  F.  Donahue,  Frank  R.  Emory,  Jesse  B.  Fisher,  Clarence  H.  Foote, 
liemy  J.  Graham,  Leslie  L.  Gray,  Jolm  W.  Hanson,  Hugh  L.  Hickey, 
Wllliani  F.  Huff,  Jeremiah  L.  Hurley,  John  B.  Johnson,  Fred  W.  Kruse, 
Augustus  L.  Kurtz,  William  A.  Labeau,  Ralph  W.  Laverty,  Karl  C. 
Manny,  Hector  C.  McDonald,  Joseph  ]\Iendelson,  John  Nelson,  Joseph  B. 
O'Neil,  Harold  Pierce,  Charles  H.  Rochford,  Francis  ^l.  Saunders,  Eu- 
gene M.  Sawyer,  Harrie  Snelling,  James  R.  Thomas,  John  J,  Yeazy,  Her- 
man C.  Vehslage,  Ralph  E.  Wagner,  Charles  Warner,  Robert  E.  Williams, 
\'irgil  W.  Wiswell,  Harold  B.  Woolsey  and  Roliert  C.  Younger,  Com- 
jtany  D. 

Arthur  H.  Bachelor,  George  R.  Bennett,  Hal  R.  Borne,  Leslie  Brakel, 
Al|)honse  J.  Campbell,  Lester  W.  Campbell,  Harry  Y.  Coe,  Ernest  T.  Col- 
lins, George  S.  Driscoll,  Hilmer  R.  Eggan,  Glen  A.  Elkins,  Thomas  A. 
Ellis,  James  A.  Frace,  Lloyd  Freeman,  AVilliam  E.  Gaskell,  Fred  A. 
Gio,  Herrman  H.  Hall,  Guy  M.  Harris,  William  J.  Hoffer,  Floyd  L. 
Hunter,  Daniel  L.  Ijams,  William  E.  Johnson,  Charles  O.  Larson,  Walter 
L.  Larson,  John  H.  Lee,  Ralph  W.  Lindsay,  John  Lynch,  Raymond  K. 
Maynard,  Jr.,  Leo  McArtor,  Clyde  D.  McCall,  Albert  C.  Mercier,  William 
I).  Alontanye,  Goldwin  F.  Moon,  George  E.  Myers,  Roy  Neighbor,  Fred 
Nelson,  Jesse  Nooney,  Hans  Olsen,  Richard  W.  Prince,  Carl  D.  Rolph, 
Charles  L.  Rose,  Harold  J.  Sherrett,  Frank  C.  Smith,  Harry  J.  Smith,  D-a 
M.  Stamps,  Everett  E.  Swim,  John  C.  Taylor,  Thomas  L.  Thacteher,  Clvde 
L.  Tuel  , Harry  E.  Warner,  Elmo  B.  Weaver,  Thomas  T.  Webb,  Leslie  L. 
W'eimai'  and   Fi'aiiklyn   H.  Woodward,  Company  p]. 

Privates 

Ernest  T.  Becker,  AValtei'  D.  Yecchio  and  Thomas  E.  Knox,  Heatl- 
fjuarters  DLetachnient. 

Thomas  J.  Bays,  Leonard  L.  Beardslee,  Robert  H.  Blair,  Walter  A. 
Davis,  Harry  PI.  Glass,  Charles  E.  Guenther,  Alexander  C.  Krater, 
Edward  S.  Lynch,  Fred  J.  Ortner,  Charlie  E.  Stradley,  Frank  W.  Torrey 
and  Lyle  H.  Wheeler,  Company  D. 

Richard  B.  Baird,  Duncan  A.  Cooper,  Neal  Davidson,  La  Yon  E.  Gott- 
fried, Lewis  G.  Hunter.  Clark  B.  Huston,  Ernest  L.  Lathan.  Edwin  M. 
Meyer,  Frederick  T.  riiilli]is,  Karl  A.  Ryder  ami  Ralph  Underwood, 
Company  E. 


THE  CALL  TO  AR:\[S 


11 


The  Quartermaster  Corps  will  furnish  the  necessary  transportation  and 
pay  to  such  of  the  enlisted  men  as  may  be  entitled  thereto  commutation 
of  rations  as  provided  by  paragraph  1228,  Army  Eegulations,  it  being 
impracticable  for  them  to  carry  rations  of  any  kind. 

The  travel  directed  is  necessary  in  the  military  service. 

By  Command  of  Major  (leneral  Liggett: 

H.  H.  WHITNEY, 
Lieutenant  Colonel,  Adjutant  General, 
Department  Adjutant 

Pursuant  to  the  fore.uoiiiii'  order  the  various  units  reported 
to  the  Presidio  of  ^Monterey,  California,  on  June  29,  1917. 

The  Battalion  was  practically  the  first  organization  to  be 
called  into  active  service  as  an  organization  in  the  Western 
Department,  and  at  that  time  only  small  troop  movements  to 
training"  camps  were  being  made.  As  the  movement  involved 
men  traveling  from  i)ractically  every  part  of  the  Pacific  Coast 
States  (including  Nevada  and  Idaho)  a  great  deal  of  interest 
was  taken  by  the  public  along  the  route  and  the  press  widely 
commented  upon  the  call  of  the  organization,  predicting  early 
overseas  dutv. 


Ol  Alt!)    IIOI  SK.    >l<>\'l"IOI{KV 


1.  Presiciio  vi  Monterey  3.      Our  flag-  pole. 

2.  Gus  Larson   learns  to  carry  a   itack.  4.      New   tirk  straw. 

fi.      Out   mascot    •■I^iick\-." 


II 

OUR   TRAINING    CAMP 

'"pi  IK  selet'tioii  of  the  Presidio  of  ^Monterey  as  the  trainitiu' 
camp  for  the  Pacific  ("oast  Battalion  was  most  fortunate. 
Sitnated  on  a  small  elevation,  with  gravelly  soil,  uood  water 
and  (Irainaue,  it  Avas  an  ideal  camp  site.  Founded  in  177(1, 
there  is  no  other  place  in  the  State  of  California  about  which 
there  centers  so  many  points  of  historical  interest,  as  the  Pre- 
sidio of  Monterey  and  its  environs.  From  the  earliest  period 
in  th.e  State's  History  the  nnjst  important  i)()litical  and  his- 
torical events  have  taken  ])lace  in  the  vicinity  of  ^lonterey. 
Almost  Avithin  a  stone's  thi'ow  of  the  spot  Avhere  Commodore 
•lohn  D.  Sloat,  Commander  of  the  Pacific  S(piadron,  on  -Inly  7, 
1846,  first  i-aised  the  Stars  and  Stripes  in  Califoi'nia,  was  lo- 
cated the  training  place  of  our  Battalion.  Here  we  were  des- 
tined to  spend  many  houi-s.  days,  Aveeks  and  months  of  har-d 
work,  mingled  Avith  the  sadness  and  the  .joys  of  a  new  and 
strange  life.  But  in  the  years  to  come  Ave  are  bound  1o  look 
bacdv  upon  our  expei'iences  there  and  say  "am  glad  th(\v  sent 
us  to  -Monterey."  Its  glorious  climate,  continuous  sunshine  and 
scenery,  unriA'alled  anyAvhere  in  the  Avorld,  made  our  enfoi'ced 
stay  nuieh  easier  to  endure  than  if  Ave  had  been  located  at  some 
of  the  other  training  camps  where  Ave  would  have  had  to  con- 
tend Avith  the  summer  heat  or  rigors  of  Avinter.  Dui'ing  nearly 
a  seven  months'  training  pei'iod  not  a  scheduletl  fornuilion  had 
to  be  omitted  on  account  of  climatic  conditions. 

And  then,  too,  nnist  be  recalled  the  many  opporl  nnil  ies  foi- 
I'ecieation.  Foi'  a  radius  of  ten  miles  fi'oin  our  heachpiarlei's 
might  lie  had  almost  e\eiy  foi-ni  of  outdoor  si)orts.  The  world 
famous  Hotel  Pel  Monte  grounds  was  only  a  couple  of  mih's 
awa\".  Tourists  spend  Ihousands  ujion  thousands  of  (b)lhirs 
t^Yvvy  yeai'  to  visit  this  justly  famous  i-esoi-t  ;  \\-e  enjoyed  all  of 
its  pleasures  and  facilities  and  Ihe  management  uladly  wel- 
comed ns  at  all  times.     Xeai'l)y   was  the  golf  course,  the  polo 


14 


MKMOHIHS  OF  THE  '--UlTIl 


•rroiinds,  the  race  track,  the  heautiful  cli-ives  and  the  maiiy 
other  natural  attractions  which  all  combined  nial\e  this  resort 
one  of  the  most  t'amons  in  America. 

Who  in  onr  orjiani/.at  ion  will  ever  foruet  tlie  world-fanions 
'•Seventeen  Mile  Drive."  ■"Del  Monte  Forest,"  "Pebble  Beach 
liodye,"  the  (  ypress  Trees  and  all  of  the  other  delightful  crea- 
tions which  the  hand  of  (rod  and  ir.an  have  combined  to  make 
the  most  beantifnl  in  all  the  world. 

Nowhere  else  in  all  the  I'niverse  has  the  Creator  so  lavish- 
ly endowed  linman  kind  with  natural  beauties  than  in  the 
^Monterey  Country.  Here  ti-uly  is  the  "•Riviera"  of  America. 
It  was  the  writer's  good  fortune,  as  well  as  other  mend)ers  of 
onr  or«:anization,  to  l)ask  in  the  sunshine  of  France  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  to  travel  over  the  boulevards 
of  Nice  antl  its  envii'ons.  and  he  always  said  with  [ii'ide  and 
pleasure  in  his  heart  that  our  own  dear  ^lonterey  is  just  as 
beautiful,  its  blendinji'  of  colors  just  as  marvelous  and  its  rare 
combination  of  mountain,  forest  and  ocean  scenery  just  as 
mao-nificent. 


Ciipiil  ^viiN  a  hiisy  little  hoy  about  the 
time  t\n-  4lltli  wa.s  calieil  into  service,  as 
attested  !•>  the  siv  iie%v  hridej^rooiiis  yie- 
tiireil  aho\e. 


Ill 

MAKING   SOLDIERS 

T  7'EIvY  few  men  in  tlu'  orj^anization  had  ever  had  any  j)re- 
vious  military  training  and  knew  very  little  as  to  wliat  was 
expected  of  them.  Composed  as  it  was,  however,  of  telephone 
and  telegraph  men  who  had  been  aeeustomed  to  adapting  them- 
selves to  varying  conditions  in  civilian  life,  it  was  not  long  af- 
ter arrival  at  Camp  before  everyone  fell  into  the  spirit  of  the 
new  life.  Each  man  found  his  place  to  slee}).  had  his  ])ed  nm-k 
filled,  blankets  issued  and  l)efore  being  in  camp  beyond  one 
meal  time,  learned  to  ask  the  (piestion  "when  do  we  eat?" 

We  were  must  fortunate  in  being  assigned  to  well  con- 
structed barracks  with  large  sfjuad  rooms.  These  barracks 
Avere  provided  with  kitchens  in  the  extreme  rear,  innnediately 
adjoining  a  large  dining  room,  or  as  we  soon  learned  to  call 
it,  "mess  hall."  About  the  very  first  thing  we  leai-ncd  after 
reaching  camp  was  that  Ave  were  expected  to  "(dean  up." 
Kitchens,  mess  halls,  S(]uatl  I'oonis  and  everything  about  camp 
had  to  l)e  scrnbbed.  Cleanliness,  we  were  to  learn,  was  to  l)e 
one  of  the  things  to  be  always  kept  in  mind.  A  mere  mention 
of  the  many  ludicrous  sights  in  and  id)out  cami)  those  first  few 
days  Avili  surely  recall  a  chain  of  comical  circumstances.  .Men 
who  liad  been  used  to  living  a  rather  free  and  easy  life  (  ha\ing 
what  they  wished  Avhen  they  wanted  it)  Avere  learning  to  |)eel 
potatoes.  Avait  on  tabl(%  police  company  streets,  make  their  own 
l)eds  and  do  the  hundi-ed  and  one  things  Avhich  they  all  latei- 
found  easy  in  the  daily  gi-ind  of  being  a  soldier.  However, 
there  Avas  a  big  willingness  to  le;irn  on  the  |)ar1  oF  all:  the 
"regulars"  in  and  about  the  camp  found  out  that  our  crowd 
Avere  "regular  fellows,"  ami  wei-e  williuL;  to  i:i\e  us  pointers, 
although  many  stoi'ies  oi"  the  L;idlil)ilily  of  our  recruits  Tor  the 
first  fcAV  days  Avere  cii-enlated  in  camp. 

On  July  4tli,  five  days  after  reaching  camp,  a  "l>iL;-  h'eed" 
Avas  put  on  Ijy  the  Mess  Sergeants  and  Cooks,  and  thus  was  cs- 


16 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  -^IITII 


\.  II.  <;i{is\voi.D 

Major  Griswiihl  was  first  Commanding-  Officer  of  the  411th.  Shortly 
aftei-  arrival  in  France,  March,  191N.  he  was  transferred  from  organiza- 
tion to  staff  of  Oeneral  Russel  at  Tours  and  made  Director  of  the  Tele- 
phone and  Telegraph  Department.  He  was  in  charge  of  the  vast  con- 
struction and  maintenance  of  the  net  work  of  lines  of  communica- 
tion in  the  SOS,  and  much  of  the  success  in  carrying-  out  the  plan  was 
due  to  his  tireless,  efficient  efforts  and   ability. 

Promoted  to  I.,ieutenant-Colonel  in  October.  1918.  Served  on  Signal 
Corps  Board  at  Paris  after  Armistice,  which  had  char.ge  of  the  dis])osition 
of  the  plant  and  supplies  of  the  Signal  Corp.^  in  the  A.  E.  F. 


tai)lis!i('(l  lliat  iievci'-t'iulini;-  rivalry  lictwtMMi  llit^  iiicsses  of  the 
tAvo  ('onipanies  as  to  which  one  could  turn  out  the  best  ^riih. 
This  .July  4th  feed  was  a  dandy,  so  much  so  that  some  of  onr 
i-aily  \isi1ors  from  out  of  town  have  never  yet  been  convinced 
tiiat  s(ihliei-s  did  r.ot  live  on  tlie  fat  of  the  hind.  At  least  they 
were  sure  the  soldiers  of  the  -411th  so  fared. 

It  was  at  once  evident  that  Tiude  Sam  expected  the  pro- 
cess of  making  soldiers  out  of  sreen  civilians  to  beuin  at  once. 


MAKING  SOLDIEKS 


17 


No  troops  of  inoiiieiit  had  been  station  at  Presidio  of  Monterey 
for  a  period  of  some  three  years,  with  the  result  that  company 
streets,  parade  grounds  and  the  premises  generally  had  been 
neglected  through  lack  of  man  power  to  care  for  them.  Re- 
sponsibility for  policing  of  streets,  barracks,  etc.,  was  at  once 
established,  and  in  a  very 
few  days  everything  was 
organized  and  running 
quite  smoothly.  The  pa 
rade  ground  which  was 
covered  w  i  t  li  a  r  a  n  k 
g-  r  o  Av  t  h  of  grass  and 
tangled  tar  weeds  jjre- 
sented  some  serious  ti'ou- 
ble  for  a  few  days,  but 
s  o  m  e  o  n  e  dug  up  old 
scythes  and  some  of  the 
heavy  hu.skies  fi'om  the 
outfit  who  had  learned 
in  an  earlier  day  hoAv  to 
wield  them,  got  busy, 
Avhich,  together  with  con- 
tinual tramping  for  sev- 
eral hours  a  day,  soon 
solved  the  prol)lem.  In 
the  meantime,  a  regular 
schedule  of  ealesthenics, 
drill  periods,  classes  in 
telephone  and  telegraph, 
wig'-Avag,  semaphore  and 
other  classes  of  study  in 
signal  corps  work  had 
been  established.  P^very 
officer  and  soldier  in  the 
organization  was  k  e  p  t 
busy  from  five  A.  M.  o'clock,  reveiUe,  unti 
and  we  all  soon  realized  that  learniuL;  to  1 
going-  to  be  any  pink  tea. 


(Ai'TAl.V    IJA^XIOKS 

One  of  our  Instructors  at  Monterey. 
Later  promoted  to  Major  commanding' 
olTtli    Field    Signal    Battalion. 


six  I'.  .M.,  retreat, 
'  a   soldier  wasn't 


1.  First  roll  call.  :!.      ('onii)an\-   tO  arriving. 

2.  "Pig-eon    (,'ole."  4.      Awkward    squad. 

").      Before  they  had   an  army  haircut. 


:makix(;  soldiers  ii» 

Recruited  from  the  Racific  Toast  States,  where  iiiiieh  living' 
out  of  doors  is  natural,  and  rt'i)resentiny  a  rather  selected  ath- 
letic uroup  of  men,  there  is  no  boast  in  stating-  that  our  men 
aii-ived  at  the  Rresidio  of  .Monterey  in  better  physical  condition 
than  any  similar  nund)er  of  men  who  might  have  l)een  gathered 
together  any  place.  All  were  mentally  alert  and  eager  "to  go.'" 
Unfortunately,  army  shoes  aiul  uniforms  were  not  immediately 
available  and  training  for  the  first  couple  of  weeks  had  to  be 
carried  on  with  men  clad  in  all  manner  of  raiment.  Footgear 
varied  in  style  from  the  fashional)le  clerk's  peaked  toed  even- 
ing shoes  to  the  hob-naih'd  hiking  l)0()ts  of  the  mountaineer. 
Result :  After  two  or  three  hours  of  stiff  setting-up  exercises 
and  several  hours  drill  in  the  school  of  the  soldier,  men  discov- 
ered they  had  nuiscles  whicli  they  had  long  forgotten  existed: 
that  "'hitting  the  weed"  had  hit  their  wind,  and  that  waist  lines 
which  seemed  good  enougli  in  "civies"  were  painfully  evident 
at  the  command  "right  dress."  By  careful  foot  insi)ection. 
by  plentiful  use  of  iodine  and  other  medicants  at  the  Camp 
Hospital,  the  aches  were  relieved  and  the  sting  of  the  Idisters 
grew  less. 

And  then  the  never-to-be-forgotten  day  arrived  wiien  real 
uniforms  were  issued  to  all,  and  much  abused  feet  were  com- 
fortably encased  in  army  shoes.  Of  course,  all  did  not  receive 
a  beautiful  fit  at  fii'st :  as  one  wag  pid  it — "Rally  was  given 
a  suit  big  enough  for  a  ten  year  old  l)oy,  while  "Red"  Ward 
was  given  a  suit  big  enough  for  a  Baby  Jund)o."  And  then, 
too,  the  first  suits  were  light  kliaki.  We  all  thought  we  were 
going  to  receive  regular  "OD"s"  and  some  of  tlu^  fellows  re- 
ferred to  the  light  khaki  as  "Boy  Scout  outfits."  But,  never- 
theless, tliey  were  uniforms  and  talk  about  del)utants!  No 
lii'oup  of  Southern  beUcs  evei-  gave  their  wardi'obes  more  at- 
tention than  these  soldirs  did  those  first  uniforms  until  they 
were  pi'operly  fitted.  ^lonterey  tailors  did  a  thriving  liusiness, 
altering,  pressing  and  fitting.  ]Men  who,  in  civilian  life,  oidy 
L;a\'e  ordinary  attention  to  dress,  suchb'iily  became  i'ean  Brum- 
els  in  military  attire. 

Shortly  after  our  ai"ri\al  a  Sigiuil  Coi'ps  Officers'  Traiinng 
School  was  started  at   Monterew     Our  officers  also  attended 


20 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  "411TPr 


CAPTAIN  R.  I*.  AV'HEAT 

One  of  our  Instructors  at  Monterey.  Later  promoted  to 
Lieutenant-Colonel  and  appointed  Chif  Signal  Officer.  Paris 
District,  where  many  of  former  411th  men  served  under  him. 

these  classes,  thus  increasing  their  work  aud  responsibilities. 
This  training  school  eansed  more  activity  in  the  Post,  and  we 
all  began  to  appreciate  we  were  really  in  the  army.  The  hour 
of  reveille  was  5 :30  A.  M.  and  we  used  to  wonder  as  we  stood 
in  line  rubbing  our  eyes  and  finishing  dressing  why  it  was  that 
the  Army  persisted  in  doing  calisthenics  in  the  dark  instead  of 
waiting  for  daylight  to  come.  But  after  all,  those  early  morn- 
ing setting-up  exercises  in  the  crisp,  foggy  air  of  the  early  day, 
probably  did  more  than  anything  else  to  harden  us  and  get  us 


^lAKIXG  SOLDIERS  21 

ready  for  the  strenuous  work  of  the  future.  Immediately  after 
calisthenics  mess  call  for  breakfast  was  sounded  and  there  was 
a  mad  rush  to  see  who  would  get  to  the  head  of  the  liue.  The 
food  disappeared  like  magic  and  no  matter  how  hard  the  cooks 
and  mess  sergeants  tried,  there  was  always  a  holler  for  more. 
After  breakfast  we  had  to  hustle  to  police  up  our  bunks,  squad 
rooms,  kitchens,  mess  halls,  lavatories,  company  streets,  for  the 
morning  inspection  of  the  Company  Commanders.  AVe  used  to 
think  that  Cai)tains  ]\Ioore  and  Barbour  could  see  and  find  more 
things  to  find  fault  with  than  any  two  men  in  the  world,  but 
we  soon  learned  that  everything  had  to  be  spick  and  span  in 
order  to  get  by  the  inspection,  and  doing  it  well  soon  Ix^eame  a 
matter  of  habit.  Sick  call  was  the  next  thing  on  the  program, 
and  a  procession  formed  for  the  purpose  of  putting  over  an 
alibi  of  some  kind  on  the  "top  kick"  in  order  to  walk  across 
the  parade  ground  to  the  hospital  and  thus  get  out  of  the  drill 
period.  Those  who  Avere  not  successful  formed  on  the  parade 
ground  for  an  hour  and  a  half  of  close  order  drill.  Following 
this  there  were  classes  in  Signal  Corps  work  which  Icept  us 
busy  up  to  noon  mess. 

After  lunch  we  had  a  short  rest  period  in  which  Ave  had 
nothing  to  do  but  clean  up  our  equipment,  shave,  wash  clothes, 
etc.  Then  the  afternoon  was  taken  up  in  semaphore,  wig-wag. 
heliograph  and  buzzer  practice. 

After  we  had  been  outfitted  with  uniforms  and  shoes,  the 
officers  felt  that  it  would  be  a  good  stunt  to  break  us  in  on 
guard  duty.  Captain  Wheat  and  Captain  Danvers,  our  in- 
structors, gave  us  the  preliminary  instructions  and  on  the 
morning  of  July  25th,  we  assembled  our  first  guard  with  Capt. 
Moore  as  Officer  of  the  Day  and  Tommy  Burns  as  Sergeant 
of  the  Guai'd.  Our  first  tour  of  guard  duty  passed  off  without 
unusual  incident,  except  Captain  Wheat  endeavoring  to  relieve 
the  guard  on  post  No.  1  of  his  gun,  but  the  guard  refused  to 
give  up  Ids  gun  in  spite  of  the  assurance  on  C^apt.  Wheat's  part 
that  he  slionhl  fdways  olx'y  a  superior  officer.  Tiic  novelty  of 
this  duty,  however,  soon  wore  off  and  it  became  just  ;i  I'outine 
and  when  we  found  our  names  posted  on  the  guard  detail  our 
complaints  to  the  1st  Sergeant  were  fre(|iient  and   xociferous. 


•2-2  .AIK.MOIJIES  OK  TIIK  ••4nTir' 

The  roiitiiU'  tln-oiiiilioiil  tlu'  week  was  as  oiitliiu'd  above,  except 
that  oil  Friday  iiioniiii^s  we  were  called  out  at  7:1;')  and  took 
a  lon.u'  hike  throii.iili<)iit  the  surrotindiiiu  country. 

Tlu'se  hikes  at  first  were  merely  in  the  natui'e  of  long' 
walks,  l)id  as  we  hecame  liardeiied  1o  Ihc  work,  Ave  first  march- 
ed with  light  i>acks  and  latei-  with  full  packs.  ^lany  of  these 
hikes  took  us  through  the  beautiful  scenic  country  in  and  al)OUt 
^Fontei-ev  and  we  shortened  the  hike  by  singing  songs,  telling 


MAJOK    D.    P.   FUI.I-EHTOX 

General  Suijerintendent  of  Plant,  Tlie  Pacific  Telephone 
and  Teleg-faph  Company.  It  was  Ihroug-h  his  untiring' 
efforts,  ably  assisted  by  Mr.  Patton  and  others  on  his  staffs 
that   the    411th    was   recruited    from    Pacific    Coast    employes. 


MAKIXa  SOLDIERS  23 

stories,  etc.  Upon  oui'  I'etui'ii  from  these  hikes,  careful  inspec- 
tion was  made  by  the  officers  as  to  the  condition  of  onr  feet, 
and  on  several  of  the  very  warm  afternoons  following-  the 
hikes,  we  took  a  course  of  instruction  in  swimmin.u'  at  the  Del 
]\I()nte  Pinnae. 

On  Satnrday  morninu'  immediately  followinu-  reveille,  the 
beds  Avere  taken  ont  on  the  iiorches,  sqnad  rooms  scrnbbed, 
shelves  re-arran<>"ed  and  our  ('(juipment  uiven  a  thorouuh  uoin^' 
over,  preliminary  to  onr  regular  weekly  inspection,  which  was 
held  at  9  :00  A.  ]M.  If  we  thought  the  morning  inspections  were 
hard  to  get  by  on,  we  soon  learned  the  weekly  ones  were  just 
six  times  worse :  the  Battalion  Commander,  and  often  the  Post 
Commander,  had  even  our  sharp-eyed  Captains  beaten.  Unless 
everj^thing  was  spic  and  span  it  had  to  be  done  over  again. 

Telegraph  classes  were  formed  at  this  time  and  aliont  25 
men  from  each  Company  were  selected  to  take  up  the  study 
of  telegraphy.  These  classes  were  separated  into  different  sec- 
tions, depe;iding  upon  the  ability  of  the  men  to  recieve  2.  8,  10 
or  15  words  per  minute.  After  having  studied  the  ]\Iorse  code 
for  about  one  month  and  having  become  rather  expert  in  the 
use  of  it,  advice  was  received  fi-om  the  War  Department  that 
only  Continental  Code  would  be  used.  This  was  rather  a  set- 
back for  the  class,  but  they  studied  hard  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  sound  of  the  Continental  code  could  be  heard  every 
morning  from  10:30  to  noon  as  if  a  dispatcher's  office  was  go- 
ing at  full  tilt. 

A  recital  of  our  exi)eriences  during  the  training  camp 
])eriod  would  not  be  complete  without  some  mention  of  the 
officers  in  command  who  assisted  us  so  materially  during  our 
stay  in  the  Presidio  of  [Monterey. 

When  we  first  re|)orted  at  .Alonterey,  C'aptain  Nolan  was 
the  Commanding  Officer.  We  can  always  loo]<  hack  with 
feelings  of  kindness  toward  him.  He  helped  our  officers 
through  many  difficulties  during  the  early  days  in  camp,  and 
it  was  through  his  co-operation  aiul  coui-t(^sy  that  we  secured 
many  things  in  the  way  of  e<|uiinnent,  conveniences,  etc.,  which 
might  not  have  been  forthcoming  had  tlie  man  occu])ying  his 
command  not  heen  so  anxious  foi-  us  to  get  stai'led  off  right. 


1.  Pealing-  "spuds." 

2.  Cooks  and  Mess  Serj^eants  "Big  Feed.  Julj^  4,   1917. 

3.  "Privates  deliglit,"  Sergeants  doing-  K.   P. 

4.  Near  Pebble  Beach. 


MAKIXn  SOT.DIERS 


\\  OKKIIVG  CAPTAINS" 


3Iaiiy  of  lis  had  the  j^leasure  of  meetinu'  liini  many  months  af- 
tei'Avard  during-  the  Argonne,  at  which  time  he  had  l)een  pro- 
moted to  a  Lientenant-Colonel.  lie  later  served  as  Provost- 
^larshall  at  Pai'is. 

Captain  Nolan  was  succeeded  by  Col.  J.  1>.  Allison.  The 
writer  finds  himself  at  a  loss  for  Avorcls  to  express  tiie  high 
esteem  in  which  Colonel  Allison  was  held  by  every  officer  and 
man  of  our  organization.  He  was  a  strict  disciplinarian,  but  a 
man  who  was  absolutely  fair  and  impartial  in  the  administra- 
tion of  the  Post.  Everyone  soon  learned  that  he  was  there  for 
the  ])iirpose  of  making  soldiers  ont  of  recruits,  and  very  few 
escaped  his  watchful  eye  if  they  did  not  toe  the  mark.  But 
he  was  a  natural  leader  among  men,  knew  the  Army  game  from 
A  to  Z,  and  every  mother's  son  in  camp  soon  learned  1o  revere 
him  and  to  have  a  sincere  ai)preciation  of  his  ability  and  in- 
terest in  the  welfare  of  all.  Every  one  of  us  has  always  re- 
gretted tliat  Col.  Allison  did  not  reach  Europe  for  active  dnty. 

C!ai)taiii  Donald  15.  Saiigei-  was  one  of  the  first  officers 
with  whom  many  of  our  men  came  in  contact,  as  he  had  been 
xery  active  in  the  recruiting  of  our  i^attalion  in  San  Francisco, 
lie  was  wont  to  refer  to  us  as  "^ly  Battalion,"  and  we  just  as 


^^^^^a^'«^'4^s^?.■ . 


1,  2,  3.      On  the  hike  in  and  about  "17  mile  drive"  Monterey. 

4.  Camp   Pel)hle   Beach. 

5.  I.,earniiis'   the    heliograpli. 

6.  Practicing"  on    the   "pup   tent.s." 


:\IAKIXG  SOLDIERS  27 

affectionately  called  iiiiii  '"Oiir  Captain."  He  was  always 
ready  and  willing  to  help  us  out  and  was  one  of  our  best 
friends  ahvays.  We  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  him  later  in 
France,  at  which  time  he  had  been  promoted  to  a  Li«Mitenant- 
Colonel  and  was  on  the  staff  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer  of  the 
Advance  Section  at  Chaumont. 

Captain  McEntee  (later  Lieutenant-Colonel)  was  another 
one  of  the  instructors  at  ]\Ionterey  who  took  a  great  deal  of  in- 
terest and  assisted  us  to  make  the  grade  during  our  primary 
days  of  soldiering.  One  of  the  saddest  occurrences  during  our 
stay  was  the  painful  accident  which  Captain  ^IcEntee  had  in 
colliding  with  one  of  our  automobiles.  No  doubt  the  injury 
which  he  sustained  greatly  delayed  his  progress  in  being  sent 
to  France.  He  was  an  officer  who  was  always  alive  with  new^ 
ideas,  and  some  of  the  best  suggestions  received  by  us  in  the 
handling  of  our  work  came  from  him. 

And  then  of  course  we  must  think  of  Captains  Danvers 
and  Wheat  w-henever  we  think  at  all  of  our  training  camp  days. 
We  will  always  smile  when  we  think  back  and  remember  the 
scraps  they  used  to  have  over  their  respective  Companies,  "D" 
and  "E,"  and  the  controversies  thereby  engendered  throughout 
both  companies.  They  were  both  most  efficient  and  sincere  in 
their  desire  to  make  the  Company  wdiich  each  was  handling  the 
best,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  their  tireless  efforts  had  much 
to  do  Avith  the  success  with  which  we  accomplished  our  work. 
They  were  both  personally  interested  in  helping  the  men  and 
long  afterward  when  we  met  them  both  in  France  it  seemed 
good  to  meet  old  fi'iends. 

The  weeks  i)ass  (juickly  by  and  we  find  our  Battalion  rap- 
idly developing  from  a  band  of  raw  recruits  into  a  well  dis- 
ciplined, erect  of  carriage,  tan  skinned  and  I'ugged  appearing 
organization  of  soldiers.  The  sunnner  of  1017  passed  (piickly 
and  during  all  the  varying  hardships  of  the  training  [leriod, 
there  was  much  satisfaction  to  be  had  from  tlu^  ioiowledge  that 
soon  the  time  would  arrive  when  Ave  would  l)e  on  oui'  way 
overseas  and  have  a  chance  at  regular  worjx  in  Europe.  The 
organization  had  been  inspected  many  times  and  ]ironouii('ed 
"fit"  for  immediate  dutv  abroad.     I'rcsidenl  Theodore  N.  \'ail. 


1.  Baseball    team.  :'..      Captains    l>aiLVer  and   Sanger. 

2.  Visitors  after  liall   same.         4.      "Give   me  my  mail." 


MAKING  SOLDIERS  29 

of  the  American  Telephone  and  Telegraph  Company,  toi-ethei- 
with  President  George  E.  McFarland  of  The  Pacific  Telephone 
and  Telegraph  Company  and  other  prominent  civilians  and  army 
officers  visited  Monterey  on  September  24,  1917,  reviewed  the 
Battalion  and  complimented  them  highly  on  their  military 
showing-  and  the  splendid  physical  appearance  of  the  person- 
nel. In  October,  Gfeneral  Squier,  Chief  Signal  Officer  of  the 
U.  S.  Army,  visited  lis  for  the  purpose  of  a  review  and  inspec- 
tion. He  was  most  enthnsiastic  over  our  showing.  Surely 
now  there  would  be  no  further  delay.  However,  the  heavy 
troop  movements  to  training  camps  and  other  movements  of 
war  materials  were  taxing-  the  transportation  facilities  of  the 
country,  and  we  were  on  the  wrong-  coast.  Thanksgiving  came 
and  then  the  Holidays  passed.  Still  the  Battalion  was  engaged 
in  training  and  nearing  the  completion  of  a  period  of  seven 
months. 

Upon  our  return  from  Thanksgiving  leaves,  we  found  a 
long-  and  impressive  line  of  trucks  waiting-  to  be  broken  in. 
Truck  drivers  were  assigned  and  we  were  given  the  oppor- 
tunity to  view  the  surrounding-  country  from  the  top  of  truck 
seats  instead  of  hiking.  Tlie  arrival  of  these  trucks  n)ade  us 
sure  that  we  were  about  to  leave.  But  again  it  was  a  false 
rumor  and  we  again  settled  down  to  squads  right  and  squads 
left.  We  were  to  experience  many  anxious  days  of  waiting 
Mdiile  in  the  Army,  but  the  last  two  months  at  ^Monterey  were 
absolutely  the  hardest  and  most  tiresome  days.  We  felt  that 
we  had  had  enough  training  and  were  raring  to  go,  especially 
as  news  l)ulletins  l)egan  to  ])our  in  during  the  Fall  of  1917, 
telling  of  the  Americans'  active  i)articipation  in  affairs  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

But  as  one  of  our  wits  ])ut  i1  :  "rucU^  Sam  caiinol  iiiucli 
long-er  deprive  himself  of  having  the  411th  help  out  in  active 
duty  overseas,"  and  finally,  on  January  22,  1918,  cams'  tlic  ghul 
tidings  ordering-  ns  to  San  Francisco  for  embarkation. 

]\Ionterey  had,  in  the  seven  inonlhs'  ti-aining  period,  hecotiie 
just  like  home  to  the  uumi  of  the  iJatlaliou — mai-ried  men  had 
moved  their  families  to  live  there:  many  nuMi  had  man-ied  since 
comings,  many  more  were  on  the  point  of  pi'oposing  ami  all  had 


President  McFaiiand,  General  Manager  Nowell  and  Mr.  Scott. 

Mr.  Vail.   Maj.   Fullertun  and  Mr.   Scott. 

\Vatchini?  the  review. 

Col.  Allison   tells  them  to  "step  out." 

"Close   up"   of   Mr.    Vail. 


MAKING  SOLDIERS 


31 


made  many  frifiids.  Preijaratioiis  for  de[)ai-tui'('  were  liastily 
made,  tearful  good-byes  said  and  on  January  '2'2,  1!)1S,  the 
"411th"  started  on  the  first  leu  of  their  journey  overseas.  A 
detail  of  thirty-nine  soldiers  arid  two  officers  i)i'0C'eeded  over- 
land to  Ilohoken,  aetinu'  as  convoy  for  the  complete  motor  ve- 
hicle and  technical  equipment  of  a  Teleyraph  Battalion. 

The  trip  from  ^lonterey  to  San  Francisco  was  a  pleasant 
one,  althouuh  there  Avere  many  sad  liearts  and  teai'ful  e3''es 
over  leavino-  dear  ones  behind  in  our  ^lonterey  homeland.  "We 
were  iilad  in  the  l\nowledge  that  at  last  we  were  on  our  way 
"over  there."  A  new  phase  of  our  life  in  the  service  was  u[)on 
us ;  our  eyes  had  a  new  ^ileam,  our  carriage  was  a  little  more 
erect,  our  step  more  firm  and  our  consciousness  more  keyed  up 
to  the  advent  of  emergino-  from  the  status  of  being  in  training- 
camp  to  tb.e  event  of  l)eing  headed  toward  "active  service." 


The  r<»«>ky  .sliorrN,  in  :iii<l  iilxtiit  tlu*  lt:iy 
(tf  >loiitt'i-t'.v.  |>i-o\  i(l«Ml  :i  »<>iiil«M't°iil  |ila<-«- 
f«»r  «»iir  solilierM  to  \%!iil«'  ji>vii.f  tlu-ir  plii>- 
tiiiie  lioiirN, 


IV 
ON  OUR  WAY  VIA  PANAMA  CANAL 

TTPON  ari'ival  of  onr  special  train  in  San  Francisco  we  -wert^ 

somewliat  snrprised  to  be  greeted  by  many  of  onr  friends 
and  acqnaintanees  who  had  in  some  way  gotten  a  "tip"  on  onr 
movement,  although  it  was  presinned  to  be  very  secret.  The 
train  was  switched  down  past  the  Ferry  Building  and  around 
the  belt  line  railway  to  the  Fort  Mason  dock.  At  every  cross- 
ing- Avhere  the  train  stopped  our  friends  in  someway  contrived 
to  catch  up  and  wave  us  greetings.  They  were  joined  soon  by 
many  passers  by,  who  were  anxious  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
organization  "bound  for  the  front,"  as  they  soon  began  calling 
to  us. 

Shortly  after  arrival  at  Fort  ]Mason  orders  Avere  issued  to 
boai'd  the  Steamship  "Great  Northern"  which  had  just  been 
conveiitMl  into  an  Army  Transport  at  the  Bremerton  Xavy 
Yards  and  brought  to  San  Fi'ancisco  for  the  pur})ose  of  taking 
Xaval  Reserves  and  our  outfit  to  an  Atlantic  Port  via  the  Pan- 
ama ( 'anal.  The  next  day  everyone  busied  themselves  becoming 
acfiuainted  with  the  ship,  learning  location  of  berthing  spaces 
and  generally  preparing  for  a  long  sea  voyage,  as  it  was  whis- 
])e]'ed  about  that  we  would  remain  on  the  Great  Northern  until 
ai-i-i\'al  in  France. 

That  night  was  the  last  ()i)i)ortunity  we  had  of  being  on 
shoi'c,  and  many  "forgot"  to  notice  the  guard,  wandering  up 
to  till-  nearby  suburbs  for  a  last  peep  at  dear  old  San  F'ran- 
ciseo  lowii.  The  writer  well  remendiers  that  Captain  Barbour 
and  himself  decided  it  would  l)e  well  to  do  a  little  "rounding 
up,"  and  it  was  well  that  they  did  so,  as  otherwise  some  of  our 
men  mii;ht  have  forgotten  the  lateness  of  the  hour  and  found 
difficulty  in  Licit  iug  back  past  the  guard. 

The  next  moi'uing  a  detail  of  three  officers  and  ten  soldiers 
boarded  a  large  tug  boat  and  went  to  Angel  Island;  little  did 
the  membei-s  of  that  detail  realize  the  nature  of  the  trip  as  no 


ON  OI^R  AY  AY  YIA  PANAMA  CANAL  33 

iiifoi'Diation  liad  been  issued  c-oneerniii;^  it.  liiKmiiic  tlieir  sur- 
prise upon  arrival  at  Ani;el  Island  Dock  to  find  four  hundred 
thirty-five  German  alien  prisoners  of  war.  All  had  looked  for- 
ward to  a  most  delightful  ocean  voyage  throuuh  the  Panama 
Canal,  but  here  we  were  fac-e  to  faee  with  several  hundred  Ger- 
inans  who  were  to  be  guarded  and  convoyed  to  an  Atlantic 
port.  All  day  was  consumed  in  loading-  the  (iermans,  search- 
ing- their  bagiiage  for  possible  infernal  machines,  Aveapons,  etc., 
and  placing  them  in  quarters  aboai'd.  Anchor  was  lifted  at 
five-thirty  P.  i\I.  Thursday,  January  24.  1!)18,  and  just  as  dusk 
was  gathering,  the  ship  poked  her  nose  through  Golden  (iate 
out  into  the  Pacific.  There  were  many  on  deck,  straining  their 
eyes  for  a  last  look  at  some  familiar  land-mark,  and  then  as 
daylight  faded  into  darkness,  men  with  weary  heads  and  ach- 
ing hearts  strove  to  keep  back  the  tears  as  they  wandered  here 
and  there  restlessly  about  the  ship.  Loved  ones  were  being 
left  behind ;  husbands,  brothei's  and  sweethearts  Avere  on  their 
way  to  the  place  of  mystery  "over  there."  The  writer  did  not 
fully  appreciate  the  keenness  of  the  feeling  in  most  of  the  men's 
hearts  that  evening  until  many  months  afterward.  Having 
been  a  wanderer  for  many  years,  himself,  and  not  having  told 
his  mother  of  his  entry  into  the.  service,  he  had  none  of  the  fam- 
ily reasons  which  made  the  separation  so  sad.  But  the  major- 
ity of  the  men  in  the  organization  were  leaving  their  families 
for  an  appreciable  period  for  the  first  time — perhaps  they 
would  never  see  them  again.  The  seriousness  of  their  departure 
from  Western  shores  was  being  fully  realized,  and  when  dark- 
ness closed  about  the  ship  tluit  night,  men  w^ent  about  their 
duties  and  finally  to  their  l)erthing  spaces  with  sadness  in  their 
hearts  and  a  prayer  that  they  might  be  safely  returned  to  their 
loved  ones. 

When  we  learned  that  we  were  to  go  via  the  Panama  Canal, 
we  were  greatly  elated  and  thought  we  had  a  most  wonderful 
ti'ip  ahead  of  us.  And  so  it  would  have  been,  had  it  not  been  for 
our  cargo  of  human  freight,  over  which  we  were  specially 
charged  Avith  close  surveillance.  We  wei-e  compidled  to  stand 
twenty-four  houi'  guard  duty.  Avhich  took  eveiy  nuiu  and  offi- 
'•er   in    tlu^    organization.      The    (German    prisoners    had    to    be 


:U  MEMOKIKS  OF  THE  -'^llTir' 

guarded  while  they  slept,  while  they  ate  and  while  they  took 
their  reereation.  The  feeding  aeconiniodations  on  the  ship  were 
not  good,  and  all  in  all,  we  had  a  very  disagreeable  and  un- 
pleasant task.  This  was  praetieally  the  first  movement  of  Ger- 
man prisoners  in  any  considerable  numbers,  and  great  care  was 
being  exercised  by  the  Army  and  Navy  to  gnard  against  any 
teaeherous  act  on  their  part.  We  had  several  suspicious  occur- 
rences, one  causing  considerable  uneasiness.  Smoke  Avas  dis- 
covered one  day  issuing  in  considerable  volume  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  fuel  reservoirs.  It  was  believed  that  some  of 
the  (Jermans  had  had  something  to  do  with  it,  but  no  harm  came 
of  it.  A  still  closer  vigilance  was  maintained,  thus  increasing 
our  burdens  and  discomforts. 

The  trip  to  Panama  was  made  in  faster  time  than  it  had 
ever  been  made  previously — arriving  there  at  2  P.  31.  January 
31,  1918.  Some  very  rough  weather  was  encountered  and 
many  of  the  men  who  were  making  practically  their  first  ocean 
voyage,  were  very  seasick.  The  weather  in  the  tropics  w'as 
extremely  hot  and  this  added  greatly  to  our  discomforts.  The 
nights  were  practically  as  hot  as  the  days,  and  about  the  only 
place  Avhere  one  could  sleep  with  any  degree  of  comfort  was 
up  on  deck. 

Upon  arrival  at  Panama  a  stop-over  of  a  day  and  a  half 
was  made  and  the  men  given  shore  leave.  This  enal)led  all  to 
have  a  good  look  at  the  historical  old  city,  its  surroundings, 
customs  and  people.  It  was  indeed  a  very  welcome  respite 
from  the  dreary  hours  of  guard  duty  for  seven  days  and  every- 
body had  a  rip-roaring  good  time.  Nervous  systems  Avere  over 
wrought,  and  the  opportunity  to  indulge  in  a  little  liquid  re- 
freshment and  join  in  some  of  the  festivities  of  this  tropical  city 
Avas  Aveleomed  by  everybody. 

Here,  hoAvever,  occurred  our  very  first  sad  experience. 
Frank  R.  Emory,  private  first  class.  Company  D,  had  been  ill 
since  leaving  .Monterey.  Upon  reaching  Panama  it  Avas  decided 
by  the  ship's  Surgeon  that  Emory  Avas  too  ill  to  continue  the 
jourJU'y  and  he  Avas  placed  in  the  military  hospital.  All  realized 
he  was  very  ill;  hoAvever,  few  thought  he  avouUI  not  recover. 
.>roiiths   afterAvards   Avhen   Ave   reached   France   avc   learned   he 


ON  OUR  WAY  VIA  PANA:\IA  CANAL  35 

only  lived  a  few  days.  His  body  was  returned  to  his  home  in 
Spokaiii\  Washington,  and  was  buried  with  full  military 
honoi's. 

Left  Panama  on  the  morning'  of  February  2,  1918.  All 
enjoyed  passing  through  the  Canal  and  marveled  at  the  won- 
derful engineering  achievements. 


F.  K.  EMORY 

Died  at  Panama  early  in  Feliriiary.  11I1.S.  Buried 
at  Spokane,  Wasliington.  with  fuH  military  lionors. 
First   man   in   411tli   to  grive   liis   life   for   his  country. 


36  MEMORIES  OF  THE  "411TH" 

We  arrived  Charleston,  S.  C,  on  the  evening  of  February 
6th.  Here  the  German  aliens  were  unloaded.  Everj^one 
heaved  a  sigh  of  relief  upon  their  departure  from  the  ship  and 
the  Battalion's  responsibility  ceased.  The  Avriter  will  never 
forget  the  comment  of  one  of  our  wits  when  he  saw  the  Ger- 
)naus  turned  over  to  four  soldiers  who  marched  them  away ; 
"Well.  I'll  be  damned ;  it  took  220  of  us  to  guard  them  on  water 
where  they  couldn't  get  away,  and  noAv  they  turn  them  over 
to  four  buck  privates." 

Left  Charleston  February  7th,  arriving  New  York  morn- 
ing of  the  9th.  Disembarked  "Great  Northern"  morning  of 
the  10th  at  Hoboken  and  arrived  Camp  IMerritt  about  3  :30  in 
the  afternoon.  Upon  reaching  Camp  we  were  greeted  by  our 
old  comrades  of  the  overland  motor  ecpiipment  detachment 
who  had  arrived  some  ten  days  before. 

The  stay  at  Camp  Merritt  Avas  occupied  in  refitting  the  or- 
ganization with  clothing  and  other  necessary  eciuipment  for 
overseas  duty.  Many  inspections  were  necessary,  and  all  were 
in  constant  dread  of  something  happening  to  prevent  our  early 
departure.  There  was  an  epidemic  of  contagious  diseases,  and 
a  very  alarming  scare  seized  our  Battalion  when  some  thirty- 
five  men  were  quarantined  account  of  contact  with  a  suspected 
case  of  diphtheria.  Their  confinement  only  lasted  about  forty- 
eight  hours  when  it  was  decided  they  had  not  become  infected. 
All  were  happy  again,  as  it  was  rumored  we  were  to  embark 
Monday,  February  18th ;  and  then  Avhen  this  rumor  became  an 
order,  measles  broke  out  in  a  barracks  where  two  sections  of 
Company  E  had  been  quartered.  They  were  f|uarantined  and 
had  to  l)e  left  behind.  Lieutenant  Geo.  R.  0.  Rutherfurd  was 
detailed  to  remain  Avitli  tliem  and  proceed  at  the  earliest  pos- 
sible date  overseas. 


V 
CROSSING   THE   ATLANTIC 

A  T  eleven  o'clock  on  the  night  of  February  18,  1918,  our  ship, 
the  "Covington,"  quietly  slipped  away  from  the  Hoboken 
Dock.  The  next  morning:  we  were  at  sea,  and  although  every- 
one peered  westward  hoping  for  a  last  lingering  look  of  our 
home  land,  only  sky,  water  and  ships  of  our  convoy  were  vis- 
ible. There  were  seven  transports  and  one  battleship  cruiser 
in  our  convoy.  At  this  particular  period  the  danger  of  sub- 
marines was  uppermost  in  everybody's  mind,  as  the  "Tus- 
cania"  had  been  torpedoed  and  sunk  only  a  few  days  previous- 
ly. Extraordinary  precautions  were  taken ;  only  a  few  l)lue 
lights  were  permitted  after  dark ;  men  were  not  permitted  to 
smoke  on  deck  after  dark ;  no  debris  was  allowed  to  be  thrown 
overboard;  port  holes  painted  black  were  never  opened  at 
night ;  heavy  curtains  hung  before  the  doors  leading  to  the 
deck,  preventing  any  chance  beam  of  light  escaping.  In  other 
words,  many  little  things  of  seeming  unimportance  became  of 
much  importance.  All  troops  -were  required  to  "stand  to'"  from 
.just  before  dawn  until  fidl  daylight  and  from  twilight  until 
full  darkness.  These  two  periods  were  considered  the  most 
dangerous  for  submarine  attacks,  and  everybody  had  to  be  in 
their  properly  designated  places,  equipped  with  life  preservers, 
ready  to  put  off  in  life  boats,  rafts,  etc.,  if  it  became  necessary 
to  abandon  ship.  The  strain  of  this  preparation  and  apprehen- 
sion Avore  off  in  two  or  three  days  and  the  troops  became  accus- 
tomed to  life  aboard  ship.  While  there  were  some  discomforts 
in  the  way  of  overcrowded  berthing  spaces,  only  fair  food  and 
some  sickness,  little  complaint  was  heard,  and  we  were  begin- 
ning to  come  in  contact  with  that  level-headed  American  i)hil- 
osophy  whicli  became  characteristic  of  the  A.  E.  F.,  and  later 
so  easily  expressed  by  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders,  extending  of 
the  hands  and  the  French  ex])ression  "Cest  le  Guerre.'" 

About  four  P.  ]\1.  Friday,  ^lai'di  1.  11)18,  a  submarine  alai'ni 


38 


MEMORIES  OP  THE  "4nTir- 


AV.   C.  BAKBOl  R 

Captain  Co.  E.  411th.  Transferred  soon  after 
arrival  in  France  and  in  cliarge  maintenance 
lines  of  communication  SOS.  Promoted  to  Major 
and  assigned  to  command  403rd  Telegraph  Ba- 
la llion,  with  which  organization  he  liad  cliarge 
of  the  construction  and  maintenance  of  import- 
ant   network    in    the    advance    section    SOS. 


CROSSING  THE  ATLANTIC 


39 


Avas  given ;  something  which  appeared  like  a  periscope  was 
sighted  on  the  port  side  of  our  ship,  the  "Covington."  Imme- 
diate firing  began  from  all  of  the  ships  in  the  convoy  that  could 
maneuver  into  position,  depth  bombs  were  dropped,  and  all  the 
other  well  planned  offensive  and  defensive  action  taken.  Aban- 
don ship  alarm  sounded  and  everyone  was  quickly  at  their  des- 
ignated places  ready  to  take  to  the  water  if  the  ship  were  tor- 
pedoed.    The   excitement  was   quickly   over,   the  "all   clear" 


JOH\    T.  aLili\i\ 

First  Lieutenant  Co.  K;  ti-ansferred  to  Batta- 
lion Adjutant  at  Monterey.  Promoted  to  Cap- 
tain and  transferred  from  411tli.  Went  overseas 
witli  40.5tli  Telegraph  Battalion.  Promoted  to 
Major  and  assigned  to  eoininand  Field  Signal 
Battalion  during  Argonne;  later  assigned  to 
command    .^2nd   Telegi'apli    Battalion. 


40 


:\iE:\roKiE!^  of  the  "4iitii' 


A.   .1.   <\l,I.OVVAV 

First  I^ieutenant,  acting  as  Supply  Officer  411tli. 
Transferred  after  arrival  in  France  to  o2ntl  Tele- 
graph Battalion,  with  which  organization  he  had 
active  service  during  Chateau-Thiery  and  Meuse- 
Argonne  offensives. 


CKossi\(;  'niK  Atlantic  -h 

siiiiial  yiven  and  all  were  hai)i)y  it  was  not  a  siil)iiiai'in(',  but 
ylad  to  at  least  have  had  the  "thrill." 

The  next  morning  six  submarine  destroyers  became  our  es- 
cort— later  in  the  day  the  number  increased  to  eleven.  What 
a  feeling-  of  safety  when  these  "ocean  bloodhounds"  became 
ou]'  protectors!  Exclamations  of  gladness  were  heartl  on  every 
side ;  one  short,  corpulent  Jjieutenant  who  had  been  wont  to 
wear  his  life-preserver  at  all  times,  confided  to  the  writer — 
"Well,  I  haven't  been  exactly  afraid,  but  I  feel  safer  now."  It 
is  quite  probable  that  came  near  being  the.  inner  sentiment  of 
every  soul  aboard  ship. 

The  morning  of  March  4,  1918,  found  everyone  as  usual 
standing  on  deck,  facing  seaward  and  waiting  for  full  day- 
light. Four  of  the  transports  in  our  convoy  had  left  us  the 
night  before,  going  in  the  direction  of  St.  Nazaire.  As  we  went 
to  breakfast  the  word  was  passed  around  that  land  Avould  be 
in  sight  sometime  that  morning;  immediately  the  front  i)ositions 
on  the  decks  were  at  a  ]>remiuni,  and  all  eyes  were  straining  for 
that  first  glimpse  of  a  foreign  shore.  When  the  lookout,  from 
his  position  in  the  crow's-nest  called  out  "land  ahead"  a 
mighty  cheer  rose  up  all  over  the  ship;  it  meant  the  end  of  our 
long  sea  journey  and  our  arrival  in  that  land  which  we  all  had 
wondered  if  we  were  ever  going  to  see.  The  sun  came  out  in 
full  strength  and  the  convoy  presented  a  beautiful  sight  as  it 
steamed  into  the  outer  harbor  of  Brest,  while  the  destroyers 
zig-zagged  back  and  forth  ;  a  dirigible  balloon  overhead  watched 
for  subs;  several  hydro-planes  darted  across  the  skyline  fi'om 
one  side  of  the  Bay  to  the  other  and  French  submarines  glided 
in  and  out.  We  saw  many  ships  at  anchor  of  every  size  ami  type, 
flying  the  flags  of  all  the  allied  nations.  We  dropfx-d  anchor 
.just  outside  the  seaAvall  of  the  inner  harbor,  tlie  engines  ceased 
their  steady  throb  and  we  all  experienced  the  pleasure  of  walk- 
ing the  deck  without  going  through  gymnastics  to  uuiintain  oui- 
balance.  The  rest  of  the  moi-ning  we  spent  on  deck.  s1  udxing  the 
town  and  wondering  when  we  would  hind.  Oui-  \ie\v  was  i-atiier 
limited,  but  we  could  see  tlie  old  walls  w  liitdi  were  buill  in  Cae- 
sar's time,  and  many  buildings  \vhicli  looked  odd  lo  us.  Kvei\v- 
thinii'  was   built   of  stoiu",    with    slale    roofs.      In    the   arternoon 


42 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  "411T1: 


\.   I).   .S.    McCOV 

Assigned  to  411th  just  before  departure  as  Med- 
ical Officer  of  our  organization  witli  rank  of  Cap- 
tain. Dr.  McCoy's  services  to  organization  will  al- 
ways be  remembered  and  appreciated  by  all.  His 
record  in  keeping  the  outfit  well  was  particularly 
good.  Promoted  to  Major  in  October,  1918,  and 
transferred  to  Special  Hospital  Duty  in  January, 
1919.  Now  in  regular  Army,  stationed  at  Letterman 
Hospital,   San   Francisco. 


CROSSINC  THE  ATLANTIC 


43 


the  slii})  niDVccl  into  tlie  iniici-  liai'hof — inside  of  the  sul)inai'ine 
nets.  Now  that  we  were  so  near  shore,  all  wanted  to  land. 
When  night  eanie  we  were  allowed  to  keep  the  lights  burning 
and  to  take  off  our  clothes,  which  latter  privilege  had  been 
denied  the  four  ])revions  nights. 

The  next  morning  Avas  foggy,  and  it  rained  most  of  the 
day.  AVe  had  all  heard  of  sunny  France,  and  the  rain  just  like 
the  Pacific  Coast  was  a  surprise  to  some  of  us.  Little  did  we 
know  that  the  webfoots  from  Oregon  and  Washington  would 
feel  very  much  at  home  Avith  the  weather  during  the  major  por- 
tion of  their  stay  in  France. 

American  fashion,  we  had  expected  our  ship  to  dock  and 
unload  just  as  easily  as  she  had  loaded,  but  we  soon  learned 
that  although  Brest  has  one  of  the  best  harbors  in  the  World, 
there  are  no  docking  facilities.  Ships  must  anchor  in  the 
stream  and  be  unloaded  by  means  of  large  tug  boats  and 
lighters.  In  the  afternoon  a  detail  of  twenty-five  men  was  sent 
ashore  to  unload  and  guard  our  baggage  and  equipment. 
Which  one  of  this  detail  was  the  fii'st  man  to  set  foot  on  French 
soil  will  never  be  known,  as  twenty-five  men  all  claim  the 
honor. 


T.t  pe   of   i'^reiich   ciiKiiK'    >vlii(*li    piillfil   oiii 
train    fr«»iii    Brest    t«>    SiMi'iiny. 


VI 
EARLY  EXPERIENCES  IN  FRANCE 

'"T'lIE  next  morning'  it  was  still  raining.  At  10:30  we  left  the 
ship  and  were  taken  to  the  landing  wharf  ahoard  a  small 
boat — -"the  Kingfisher."  This  boat  was  well  known  to  many 
of  ns  who  had  seen  her  engaged  in  traffic  on  San  Francisco 
Bay  for  many  years.  When  we  landed  on  the  dock  we  stopped 
long-  enough  to  relieve  the  guard  detail  and  then  started  for 
"Pontonezan  Barracks."  It  was  on  this  march  that  we  got 
our  first  glimpse  of  France,  and  we  were  all  busy  taking  in 
the  sights,  the  narrow  streets,  the  funny  little  shops,  and  trying 
to  decipher  the  signs  over  each  one  and  wondering-  what  they 
had  to  sell.  The  people  and  their  clothes  all  came  in  for  a  share 
of  our  attention.  The  styles  were  all  so  different  from  what 
we  have  in  our  country ;  it  was  all  extremerly  interesting.  The 
predominance  of  wooden  shoes  made  us  almost  believe  we  were 
in  Holland.  When  we  neared  the  center  of  town  we  caught 
our  first  sight  of  a  pretty  French  mademoiselle :  when  she  gave 
us  a  pretty  smile  and  waved  her  hand,  it  was  with  difficulty 
that  Captain  Moore  kept  us  in  line  and  going  ahead.  Then  we 
passed  out  of  town  and  on  into  a  country  road  bordered  by 
green  fields,  which  after  a  march  of  about  three  miles  brought 
us  to  the  barracks — known  as  "Pontonezan."  The  barracks 
were  surrounded  by  a  high  stone  wall  and  as  we  approached, 
they  opened  the  gate  to  admit  us,  closing-  it  again  after  we  had 
all  passed  in.  As  some  wit  later  remarked:  "It  was  quite  easy 
to  march  into  these  barracks,  but  very  hard  to  get  out."  There 
was  a  large  parade  ground  in  the  center  where  we  halted  and 
waited  in  the  drizzling-  rain  until  c^uarters  had  been  assigned. 
The  parade  ground  was  bordered  by  story  and  a  half  buildings, 
made  of  stone,  with  slate  roofs,  very  steep  and  many  little 
gables  and  dormer  windoAvs.  Everything  had  the  appearance 
of  being  very  old,  and  when  we  were  told  that  the  buildings 
were  used  as  l)arracks  for  Napoleon's  troops,  we  could  easily 


EARLY  EXPERIENCES  IN  FRANCE  45 

believe  it.  The  quarters  assigned  to  us  were  on  the  second  floor 
of  one  of  these  building's,  which  in  effect  was  really  the  attic. 
It  had  the  appearance  of  being  a  very  unwelcome  home,  with 
its  bare  (although  whitewashed)  walls,  small  windoAvs,  low 
roof,  absence  of  stoves,  furnishings,  etc.  For  beds,  each  man 
had  two  little  trestles  and  three  nice  hard  boards.  On  these 
blankets  were  placed — without  mattresses.  Varions  devices 
were  tried  to  make  these  boards  soft  but  without  avail.  Clothes 
lines  were  put  up  and  material  for  shelves  obtained.  In  the 
meantime  the  cooks  were  busy  setting  up  field  ranges  in  the 
company  streets,  and  when  mess  call  finally  sounded  it  was  a 
hungry  crew  which  fell  into  line  as  there  had  been  nothing  to 
eat  since  coffee  and  bread  aboard  ship  in  the  morning.  Aiul  then 
came  our  first  night  in  France.  As  darkness  came  on  search 
was  made  for  the  switch  to  turn  on  the  electric  lights,  but 
there  "wasn't  any,  and  wdien  it  came  to  clustering  around  a 
camp  fire,  it  was  also  absent.  But  some  candles  were  located, 
everybody  put  on  their  overcoats  and  curled  up  in  blankets  on 
the  aforesaid  lioards.  Before  morning  all  realized  how  much 
difference  a  mattress  makes  to  a  l)ed. 

The  next  morning  was  spent  in  washing  clothes  and  gen- 
erally cleaning  up.  In  the  afternoon  arrangements  were  made 
to  initiate  all  into  the  mysteries  of  taking  a  bath  under  the 
conditions  then  prevailing.  It  was  the  first  bath  since  leaving 
Camp  Merritt.  The  men  were  marched  to  the  bath  house  in 
groups  of  twenty  in  charge  of  an  officer,  lined  up  on  one  side 
of  the  room,  where  they  undressed.  Two  men  got  under  each 
shower  and  waited  for  the  water  to  be  turned  on  ;  then  a  whistle 
blew:  all  prepared  for  the  shock  and  a  trickle  of  water  de- 
scended. At  no  time  during  the  whole  operation  couhl  it  rciilly 
be  called  a  stream  of  sufficient  size  to  give  two  dii'ty  soldiei's  a 
fighting  chance  to  get  (dean.  The  hot  watei-  taid\  was  small, 
and  after  the  third  or  fourtli  1)uu(di  got  uiulcr.  the  lu)t  water 
gave  out.  So  tlie  unfortunates  luid  to  stand  tliei'i',  all  hitlierrd 
up,  while  the  fireman  coaxed  the  tank  to  get  full  of  hot  watei- 
again.    It  was  a  ,ioke  for  the  spectators,  but  not  tor  the  hathei's. 

After  bathing,  the  next  .job  was  to  wash  (dothiug.  I^'of  this 
])Ui'i)ose  a   tatd\,  something  like  a   small   swiimniiii;-  tau]<.   and 


The  patient  ox  is  used  to  till  the  soil   m   !•  ranee. 
Where    the   family    cow    does    doul)le   duty. 
Character  study  of  old  Frenchman. 
A   "French   Laundry." 
French  workmen. 
Shoe    shining    "parlor." 


EARLY  KXl'KiaEXCES  E\  FKAXCE  47 

filled  Avith  cold  water,  was  usfd.  There  was  always  a  crowd 
and  it  was  with  diffieiilty  that  one  elhowed  his  way  to  the 
ed<ie.  Then  liy  applyin^i-  tlie  soap  and  hrnsh  lihcrally  a  fail' 
state  of  cleanliness  was  ohtained.  Many,  who  did  not  have  a 
l)rnsli,  nsed  the  ancient  nu^hod  of  washing-  by  rul)l)in^  the  uar- 
nient  on  a  slab  of  stone  and  were  to  some  extent  successfni. 

Ea<di  uioi-ninii'  a  period  of  calisthenics  and  infantry  di-ill 
was  uiveii.  It  did  not  last  long,  bnt  served  to  .uet  iIh-  Uiid<s 
ont  which  wei'e  acqnired  l)y  sleepino-  on  lioard  ])e(ls.  'IMie  <lay 
was  sjient  in  wandei'inu-  about  the  bai"raid<s,  becoiniiii;-  used  to 
F]-ench  money  ])y  bnyin<;'  small  articdes  at  the  Frencli  canteen, 
and  incidentally  trying'  ont  onr  generall.v  small  voeabnlai">'  of 
EreiKdi  words.  The  l^arracks  seemed  like  a  vei'ilable  prison, 
with  the  liigh  stone  walls  shutting  out  the  view  of  the  outer 
Avoi'ld,  and  its  linnted  confines.  It  was  therefore  with  mu.ch 
joy  tliat  Ave  Avelcomed  a  five  nnle  hike  into  the  country  the 
next  Sunday  morning.  It  Avas  an  ideal  spring  day  and  the 
countryside  Avas  at  its  Ix'st.  All  the  natives  Avere  dressed  up  in 
their  Sunday  best  and  on  |)romenade.  Xeai'ly  everybody  Avas 
dressed  in  Idack,  the  Avomen  Avearing  odd  little  bonnets,  while 
the  men  Avore  flat  hats  Avith  very  Avide  brims.  Wooden  shoes 
Avei'e  dispensed  Avith  foi'  the  Snnday  parade.  The  dress  of  the 
]ieo|)le  of  Brittany  is  ohler  in  style  than  in  any  other  section 
of  Ei-ance  and  old  customs  are  adhered  to  closely.  Many  odd 
scenes  Avere  noted  about  the  little  farms  that  we  passed.  The 
houses  wei'e  all  vei'y  old,  with  that(dH'(l  roofs  ami  huge  wooden 
props  to  act  as  sni)[)orts.  The  fields  Avere  small  antl  separ- 
ated by  hedges.  The  dead  wood  from  these  hedges  is  all  gath- 
ered, tied  into  l)undles  of  faggots  and  taken  to  the  I'ai'm  houses 
for  fuel.  The  climate  of  Brittany  is  mu(di  like  that  of  the  West 
(oast  of  Oregon  and  Washington.  The  iidudiitanls,  es|»eciall\- 
the  Avomen.  hav(^  Avondei'ful  complexions,  and  all  the  appear- 
ance of  good  health. 

Oil  the  morning  of  Mar(di  11th  preparations  were  mail.'  to 
leave  I'ontoiiezaii.  As  we  filed  out  of  those  iron  gales  throuizli 
the  high  stone  Avail,  there  w;is  not  a  pang  of  regret,  and  we 
hoped  that  our  next  stopping  place  would  be  mmdi  more  pleas- 
ant.     Mu(di   was  later  written  as  to  the   bad   conditions  at    this 


48 


ME:\rORIES  OF  THE  -^iiTir' 


A.    B.    COATES 

Sergeant  1st  class  during  training-  camp  period:  commis- 
sioned 2nd  Lieut,  just  prior  to  sailing  for  France;  promoted 
to  1st  Lieut.  July,  1918,  and  to  Captain  October,  1918.  Com- 
manding Company  D  during  practically  entire  period  in 
France:  Commanding  Officer  of  Battalion  on  return  trip  to 
U.   S.   until  discharge. 


camp  when  it  became  congested  with  the  heavy  int'lnx  of  troops 
during  the  spring  and  summer  of  1018.  and  the  debarkation  of 
troops  after  the  armistice.  lIoAvever,  we  feel  that  we  were 
there  under  the  rongh  conditions  as  they  existed  in  the  very 
beginning,  and  yet  we  can  look  back,  withont  regret  at  our  ex- 
periences there.  knoAving  that  for  the  first  time  we  were  soldier- 
ing and  had  to  expect  some  discomforts  and  inconveniences. 


EARLY  EXPERIENCES  IN  FRANCE  40 

Cpoii  cUTiving  at  Brest,  where  we  were  to  entrain,  arrange- 
ments were  made  to  issne  ''travel  rations"  to  tlie  wliole  Bat- 
talion before  departure.  This  was  necessary  as,  owing  to  the 
construction  of  French  cars  into  cf)nipartments,  it  is  not  possible 
to  pass  from  car  to  car  and  make  distribution  as  it  would  l)e 
done  in  our  country.  Third-class  coaches  were  provided  for 
this  trip  and  ten  men  were  placed  in  each  compartment.  Ex- 
actly at  noon,  we  started  on  our  first  trip  on  an  European  type 
of  passenger  train.  Before  boarding  the  train  explicit  instruc- 
tions had  been  issued  as  to  conduct,  the  rules  being  many  and 
varied.  No  rul)bish  was  to  he  thrown  from  the  train,  but  placed 
under  the  seats;  it  was  forbidden  to  leave  the  train  without 
permission;  warning  was  given  not  to  put  heads  out  of  tlie 
windows,  as  all  tunnels  and  bridges  are  very  narrow  and  the 
telephone  poles  set  very  close  to  the  track;  no  wine  or  other  li- 
quors Avere  to  be  purchased  at  the  stations,  etc.  Here  we  first 
saw  a  sign  which  became  very  familial'  to  us  as  we  always  saw  it 
in  public  places : 

"TAISEZ-VOUS,    MEFIP]Z.      LES    OREILLES, 

DE  L'ENNEMI  VOUS  ECONTENT." 

"Which  translated  means:  "Shut  youi-  nu^ntli.  be  cautious, 
the  ears  of  the  enemy  are  listening  to  you." 

French  railroad  equipment  and  methods  always  annise  an 
American ;  the  cars  remind  one  of  boxes  placed  on  wheels  and 
divided  into  several  compartments  foi"  the  filing  away  of  pass- 
engers. There  is  hardly  room  for  your  legs  and  Unecs  in  Ihe 
third-class  coaches  as  you  sit  facing  one  another,  and  loaded 
down  as  our  outfit  was  with  packs,  exti'a  e(|uipiiient,  etc.,  all 
were  very  crowded.  The  engine  which  pulled  this  first  li-aiu  of 
ours  was  even  more  funny  than  the  cars;  it  Avouldn't  mak'e  a 
good  sized  switch  engine  in  the  States;  the  boilei-  was  all  shiny 
brass;  the  engineer  and  fireman  stood  up  in  a  little  dinky  place 
which  corresponds  to  our  engine  cabs.  Yet  it  was  sui'iu-ising 
the  numl)er  of  cars  that  it  liauhMl.  F.ells  on  engines  are  unknown  ; 
instead  they  use  a  sort  of  threshing  nuichiue  shi-ill  whistle, 
which  keeps  u])  a  continual  tooting  to  let  people  know  they 
are  on  the  way.  A  lai-ge  portion  of  the  railroads  in  l^'rance  ai-e 
double-tracked.      The   Irains   iMin    on    llic    left    hand    li'ack.   ami 


K-' A.JJhiJ  'h^.  Mt  J>'»^-^.igM^fe 


1.  Tliose  wonderful  beds  first  niglit  at  Savenay. 

2.  First   hike   near   Brest,   Prance. 

3.  Company  D  Barracks,  Savenay. 

4.  Construction   gang  near  St.   Nazaire. 

f).  "Close  up"  derrick  for  wire  stringing. 


EARLY  EXPERIENCES  IX  FRANCE        51 

on  tliis  first  trii)  some  of  us  thoimlit  tlicy  had  made  a  mistake 
and  were  expeeting-  a  head-on  collision  at  any  time:  however, 
we  soon  learned  that  was  the  custom.  We  eai'ly  noticed  that 
the  danger  of  accidents  at  grade  crossings  is  well  eared  for  1)\ 
gates  Avhich  are  only  opened  when  the  railway  is  clear  for  some 
distance  each  way.  A  tender's  house  is  located  at  each  set  of 
gates  which  serves  as  the  residence.  The  gates  and  hlock  sig- 
nals during  the  war  period  were  generally  cared  for  by  women 
(presumably  of  railroad  men  at  war).  At  each  of  these  little 
gate  houses  were  many  children  who  would  rush  out  and  wave 
at  us  as  the  train  went  by. 

During  this  first  trip  in  France  all  were  greatly  impressed 
with  the  beautiful  country-side ;  green  fields,  with  the  well 
trimmed  hedges  criss-crossing  in  all  directions.  What  a  rev- 
elation in  noting  how  every  square  foot  of  soil  was  utilized  and 
intensively  cultivated.  Here  and  there  would  be  a  little  village 
with  a  dozen  to  a  couple  of  hundred  houses,  and  always  iu  the 
center  of  the  village,  rising  high  above  the  roofs  of  the  houses, 
the  church  spire.  We  saw  very  few  detached  houses  outside  of 
the  villages:  in  other  words,  the  old  custom  of  grouping  to- 
gether for  mutual  protection  still  prevailed. 

About  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  arrived  a  a  little 
town  called  Rosporden  where  Ave  stopped  for  about  an  lioui-  to 
have  supper.  All  had  a  chance  to  Avalk  about  town,  and  the 
natives  Avatched  us  Avith  as  much  curiosity  as  Ave  Avatched  them. 
They  Avere  not,  as  yet,  familiar  Avith  the  sight  of  Americans. 
Our  train  Avas  not  supplied  Avith  lights,  so  as  soon  as  it  l)egan 
to  get  dark  everyone  tried  to  make  themselves  as  comfortable 
as  possible  and  go  to  sleep.  It  takes  a  long  time  to  l)ecome  ac- 
customed to  sleeping  in  a  sitting  posture  and  1liis  t'ii-st  night 
Avas  attended  Avith  queer  experiences.  One  of  the  men  in  tell- 
ing the  Avriter  about  it  said:  "I  Avoke  up  after  a  nap  of  Avhat 
seemed  to  be  many  hours,  Avondcriug  what  was  driving  at  the 
back  of  my  head.  I  discovered  it  to  be  the  toe  of  a  No.  10  worn 
by  Bill  Wells,  Avho  OAving  to  his  extreme  length,  Avas  spread  all 
over  the  compailment.  liis  long  legs  W('a\iiig  in  and  (Mil  innoug 
the  numerous  legs  that  Avere  contained  therein.  1  shuddered  1o 
think  AAdiat  an  awful  time  the  boys  nnist  be  havinu'  who  wei-e 
located  in  the  same  compartment  as  Torry." 


52  MEMORIES  OF  THE  '•4nTH" 

At  about  three  o'clock  the  next  niorninji-  Company  I)  and 
Ileadciuarters  Detachment  were  awakened  by  the  officers,  who 
were  endeavoring-  to  get  them  off  the  train  at  a  phice  called 
Savenay.  It  was  a  mad  scramble  in  the  dark,  every  man  en- 
deavoring to  find  his  pack,  his  mess  gear  and  all  the  other  stuff 
which  he  might  have  unpacked  on  the  train,  but  at  last  it  was 
accomplished.      Company   E    continued    on    for    about    fifteen 


WM.     H.     FAIKBAMKS 

First   Adjutant    of   Battalion   as    1st   Lieutenant.  Promoted 

to   Captain    and    transferred    from    organization    at  Monterey. 

Placed    in    command    3rd    Depot    Bn..    promoted    to  Major   and 
brought    tliat    organization    to    France.      Placed    in    command 

55th   Telegraph   Battalion:   with   5th   Corps   during  St.   Mihiel 
and  Meuse-Argonne   offensives. 


EAKLY  EXPERIENCES  IN  FRANCE        53 

kilometers  to  a  town  called  8t.  Ettiene.  With  ]\Iajor  Griswold 
in  the  lead  Company  D  and  Headquarters  stumbled  sleepily  up 
a  long  hill,  through  narrow,  crooked  streets  for  a  couple  of  kilo- 
meters, finally  arriving  at  a  group  of  buildings  known  as  Base 
Hospital  No.  8.  Here  we  were  cjuartered  in  new  barracks  and 
furnished  clean  beds  with  white  sheets  in  which  to  sleep.  This 
fact  is  worthy  of  note  in  passing  as  it  was  the  only  time  that 
such  luxury  was  enjoyed  by  any  whole  unit  during  ovir  stay  in 
the  A.  E.  F. 

In  the  meantime,  Company  E  had  continued  their  way  on 
to  their  headquarters  at  St.  Ettiene.  On  arriving  there  they 
marched  to  their  l)illet  which  happened  to  be  a  large  barn  on 
the  edge  of  town.  Here  they  were  able  to  make  themselves 
very  comfortable.  Bunks  and  mess  tables  were  made  out  of  lance 
poles  and  very  soon  a  model  camp  had  been  created  and  they 
were  ready  for  work. 

Permanent  quarters  for  Company  D  and  Headquarters 
"were  finally  found  at  Savenay  in  a  large  chateau.  This  proved 
rather  small  to  accommodate  all  comfortably,  so  a  couple  of 
large  tents  were  borrowed  from  the  hospital  and  erected  along- 
side the  chateau.  These  tents  were  soon  being  used  to  put  on 
a  sideshoAV  with  Lally  as  the  fat  lady  and  "Red"  Gray  as  the 
spieler.  Enough  lumber  was  borrowed  from  the  engineers  to 
make  bunks  for  the  men  in  the  chateau  and  the  hospital  loaned 
enough  beds  to  go  around  in  the  tents;  so  once  more  all  men 
in  the  Battalion  had  a  good  bed,  which  had  not  been  enjoyed 
since  leaving  Monterey. 

While  waiting  for  orders  to  begin  work  we  had  oppor- 
tunit.y  to  learn  something  of  the  habits,  language  and  every 
day  life  of  the  French  people.  As  oiu-  subs<'(|iieiit  experieiu'es 
in  all  the  villages  where  we  were  billeted  in  France  were  very 
similar,  it  will  be  well  for  the  readei"  to  learn  sonu'thing  about 
them.  The  peoi)le  wei'e  extremely  hospitable  to  lis  and  we  wece 
soon  acquainted  and  made  fliciii  iiiidci'sland,  with  our  half 
Fi'ench  and  half  American  lingo,  just  wliei-e  we  were  from,  \vh;\\ 
the  United  States  looked  like,  etc  pjvei'yl)ody  pinvdiascd  a 
Fi'ench-Amei-ican  dictionary,  A\liicli  Avas  al\va\'s  carried  and 
continuallv  referred  to.     With   the  aid   of  this  diet  ioiiarv  and 


54  .AIEMORIES  OF  THE  "-tllTU-- 

the  assistance  of  a  few  men  in  the  Battalion  who  conld  speak 
French,  Ave  soon  mastered  the  simpler  words  and  phrases. 

The  inhabitants  of  these  villages  consisted  mostly  of  old 
men,  women  and  cliildren  :  the  yonnger  and  middle-atied  men 
Avere  all  absent  in  service.  They  were  for  the  most  part  poorly 
dressed  and  wore  wooden  shoes.  Althonoh  it  has  always  been 
the  custom  for  European  women  to  work  in  the  fields  and  do 
other  manaal  labor,  this  condition  was  greatly  enhanced  hy 
the  absence  of  so  many  men.  The  women  were  daily  in  the 
fields,  doing  all  the  tasks  which  a  man  could  do — ploughing, 
pitching  hay,  raking  or  digging — showing  surprising  energy 
and  strength.  The  drinking  of  wine  and  other  beverages  is 
universal  by  men  and  women.  However,  the  manner  of  their 
drinking  is  entirely  different  from  what  we  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  seeing  in  our  own  country.  All  the  drinking  places  are 
provided  with  tables  and  chairs  and  the  people  sit  about  in  a 
sociable  manner,  drinking  slowly  and  seemingly  for  the  pleasure 
and  not  the  effect.  During  all  of  our  service  in  France  we  saw 
very  few  cases  of  intoxication  except  occasionally  on  fete  days. 

One  day  each  week  there  is  always  a  public  market  day 
in  these  small  towns.  It  is  generally  held  in  the  "place"  in 
front  of  the  City  Hall  or  "Hotel  de  Ville"  as  it  is  called.  The 
peasants  from  the  surrounding  country  bring  in  their  products 
and  sell  them  from  little  booths  to  the  village  folk.  In  other 
stands  itinerant  venders  offer  every  conceivable  commodity 
for  sale.  A  custom  which  always  interested  the  Americans 
was  the  selling  of  eels.  They  were  kept  alive  in  a  tub.  and 
skinned  and  dressed  as  ordered  by  the  customer. 

During  these  first  days  in  France  we  were  fortunate  in 
having  time  and  opportunity  to  learn  a  great  deal  about  our 
new  friends — the  French  inhabitants.  Withal  we  found  them 
a  very  hospitable,  open-hearted,  courteous,  kindly  people.  They 
were  particularly  gracious  to  us  Americans  and  showed  us 
every  consideration.  ]Much  has  been  written  about  the  French 
and  their  peculiar  customs,  but  it  was  the  good  fortune  of  our 
outfit  to  receive  universally  fine  treatment  during  all  of  our 
stay  in  the  A.  E.  F.,  and  the  wi'iter  believes  that  much  of  this 
was  due  from  the  fact  that  we  made  friendlv  contact  with  them 


EARLY  EXPERIENCES  L\  FILWCE 


00 


in  the  very  beginnino-.  More  will  he  said  about  this  angle  of  our 
experiences  as  onr  story  progresses,  but  the  writer  is  sure  that 
each  of  ns  will  always  affectionately  I'ccali  the  kindliness,  the 
gentleness,  and  the  good  uatured  spirit  in  which  these  simple 
home  folks  of  the  valley  of  the  Loire  received  us.  Bowed  down 
with  fonr  years  of  the  horrors  and  griefs  of  war,  as  they  were, 
they  had  not  lost  faith  and  were  embned  with  that  spirit  of 
service  to  their  country,  which  eventually  helped  more  than 
any  other  one  thing-  to  bring  victory  abont. 


K.    S.    \\  lOIISTIOK 

First     Lieut.     Di'iital     Corps.       .loiiicd     tilth  .hniu;ii\.     1  :i  I  i«. 

Was   of    incst  inui  l)lc    v;iluc    to   ( )i-f;'an  i/,:i  t  ion    ;is  a  H    wen-    liaiU.s' 

in  need   of  il-'uta  I    wmk.     l'roiiioIc(l   to  Captain  in   Maicli,    IIMI". 


VII 
OUR   FIRST    REAL  JOB 

'npllE  first  job  assigued  to  our  Battalion  was  tlie  building  of 
a  standard  ten-wire  lead  from  St.  Nazaire  to  Nantes,  a  dis- 
tance of  approximately  thirty-nine  miles.  This  was  the  be- 
ginning of  the  vast  wire  net  which  was  planned  to  take  care  of 
the  connnunications  in  the  area  known  as  the  SOS — Service  of 
Supply.  The  headquarters  of  the  American  Expeditionary 
Forces  was  located  at  Chaumont ;  the  headquarters  of  the  SOS 
at  Tours.  The  principal  base  ports  in  France  were  located  at 
St.  Nazaire,  Bordeaux,  Le  Harve  and  Brest.  At  all  of  these  base 
ports  vast  warehouses,  railroad  terminals  and  supply  bases  of 
every  description  were  being  erected,  and  throughout  the  SOS, 
storage  warehouses,  motor  parks,  ordnance  stores,  base  hos- 
pitals, supply  dumps,  forestry  camps,  railroad  asseml)ling  and 
repair  shops,  etc.,  were  being  constructed.  Adequate  commun- 
ication had  to  be  secured  with  all  of  these  activities  from  head- 
quarters SOS  at  Tours,  from  GHQ  (General  Headquarters)  at 
Chaumont,  and  then  in  turn  with  "the  front."  It  was,  there- 
fore, with  a  feeling  that  we  were  at  last  "on  the  .job"  where 
we  could  do  some  real  work  when  we  started  this  first  con- 
struction w^ork  from  one  of  the  base  ports. 

The  Battalion  had  been  fully  equipped  in  the  States  and  it 
was  expected  that  we  would  have  this  ecjuipment  in  France 
very  shortly  after  arrival.  Due,  however,  to  the  fact  that  at 
that  time,  equipment  of  this  kind  was  extremerly  short,  not  hav- 
ing begun  to  arrive  in  sufficient  quantities  from  the  States,  it 
was  all  "pooled"  at  the  base  ports  and  issued  to  the  various 
organizations  in  accordance  with  the  most  urgent  requirements. 
We  succeeded  in  obtaining  sufficient  transportation  to  meet 
our  urgent  requirements,  but  practically  no  line  construction 
tools  were  available.  By  borrowing  every  conceivable  kind  of 
tool  in  the  way  of  shovels,  digging  bars,  hand  saws,  bits  aud 
braces,  axes,  etc.,  from  the  French  inhabitants,  we  were  finally 


OUR  FIRST  JJEAJ.  JOB  57 

a])le  to  begin  actual  work.  Later,  regular  signal  (•oi'i)s  equi[)- 
ment  became  available,  and  we  had  as  good  an  outfit  as  was 
obtainable  anywhere,  but  we  will  always  remember  those  first 
few  weeks  when  we  acconii)lished  difficult  work  despite  poor 
and  inadequate  tools. 

AVhile  the  route  of  the  line  was  being  determined,  ar- 
rangements were  made  with  the  French  government  to  secure 
poles  from  a  supply  which  they  had  on  hand  in  Savenay,  and 
gangs  were  put  to  work  in  the  yards,  framing  and  roofing.  The 
poles  were  of  a  native  wootl,  similar  to  our  pine  and  were  of  a 
very  light  type.  They  could  hardly  be  classed  as  a  "C"  in  the 
States,  but  it  was  from  this  type  of  poles  that  all  of  the  pole 
lines  in  France  were  constructed,  and  it  can  be  easily  under- 
stood that  the  problem  of  properly  strengthening  leads  thus 
became  a  more  difficult  one. 

As  this  was  the  first  real  jol)  done  by  our  men  as  a  mili- 
tary organization,  it  was  necessary  to  follow  some  jilan  to  se- 
cure the  maximum  of  result,  as  it  was  evident  from  the  first 
that  work  was  going  to  be  done  under  high  pressure.  The  work 
itself  did  not  present  any  particular  obstacles  to  overcome.  To 
men  who  had  built  lines  in  our  Western  mountains,  across 
deserts  and  swamps;  and  who  had  been  a  part  of  the  organ- 
ization to  carry  the  "threads  of  speech"  across  three  thousand 
miles  of  hills,  valleys  and  plains  between  San  Francisco  and 
New  York,  this  little  toll  line  in  the  rich  farm  land  valley  of  the 


y-- 

[ 

^ 

L    1* 

1^^ 

h  Zgtff^^P^^ 

4 

^Hv^^L 

^^^^^^^^^^K 

pyK  ' 

VmR»8v' '  ■ 

yBOX 

i^Mc 

"f! 

On  St.  Nazaire-Nantes  lead:  left  to  riglit.  I.ieut. 
Smith,  Scott,  Director  I^eMarie  and  his  assistant,  Cap- 
tain Moore,  leaning-  agrainst  the  "Big  McFarhind." 
Two  E  Co.  linemen  completing-  guy. 


Wire  stringing-  with  derrick. 

American   constructiuii  by   411tli   l)etween   St.   Xazaire  and  Nantes. 

First   pole   yard,   Savenay. 

"Doc"   Cook  and  gang-   "pulling  in"  near  Savenay. 

Reel    wagon,  St.   Nazuire-Nantes. 


OUR  FIRST  REAL  JOB  59 

Loire  was  easy.  The  problem  of  fully  utilizing  a  military  or- 
ganization, divided  into  the  different  units  and  grades  of  ai-iiiy 
life,  did  present  some  angles  of  diffieulties  whieh  had  to  he 
overcome  if  the  maximum  results  were  to  be  had.  These  prob- 
lems were  worked  out  by  the  officers  in  consultation  with  the 
men  of  the  organization.  Advantage  of  the  previous  exper- 
ience was  taken,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  eight  sections, 
into  which  a  signal  corps  Telegraph  Battalion  is  divided,  were 
eight  gangs  of  telephone  workmen,  digging  holes,  setting  poles, 
stringing  wire,  etc. 

The  two  companies  eai-h  had  a  surveying  crew  which 
staked  and  laid  out  its  own  portion  of  the  line.  No  fine  tran- 
sits were  available ;  makeshift  affairs,  consisting  of  a  pair  of 
field  glasses  set  on  a  stick,  had  to  be  used.  As  fast  as  stakes 
were  placed  in  the  ground,  the  French  inhabitants  would  pull 
them  up  for  firewood.  After  sending  an  interpreter  over  tlie 
route  of  the  line  and  explaining,  this  trouble  was  overcome. 
Each  company  had  been  furnished  with  a  detachment  of 
twenty-five  Greek  laborers;  they  were  nsed  for  digging  holes, 
handling  poles  and  the  usual  ''grunt"  jobs.  These  Greeks  Avere 
among  some  of  the  first  civilian  laborers  hired  by  our  Govern- 
ment and  were  somewhat  of  an  experiment.  They  became 
quite  proficient  in  learning  line  work  and  remained  with  oui' 
outfit  until  we  were  called  to  the  front  some  months  later. 

The  route  of  this  lead  made  it  necessary  to  cross  private 
property  in  many  places,  and  although  we  had  been  furnislied 
Avith  general  permits  by  the  French  Government  to  be  used  in 
case  of  right-of-Avay  difficulties,  it  Avas  thought  best  to  secure 
verbal  permits  by  careful  exj^lanation.  This  Avas  dotic  by  in- 
terpreters and  created  an  extremely  kindly  feeling  all  along 
the  route.  The  peasant  farmers  Avere  in  m^arly  all  cases  (ibliu- 
ing  and  ready  to  alloAv  us  to  set  })oles  and  anchoi's  on  their 
property  Avhere  necessary.  The  Avriter  recalls  one  case  avIkm-c 
a  pole  had  to  be  set  in  a  yard  surrounded  by  a  high  stone  wall. 
It  happened  to  be  on  the  pi-cmises  of  the  nuiyoi-  of  Ihe  liltle 
toAvn  throngh  which  the  line  passed.  On  seeinu-  il  would  he 
difficult  to  get  the  pole  e(piipped  Avilh  Ihe  cross  arm  oxcf  witli 
the  help  on  hand,  the  mayor  opened  the  I'l-ont  dooi'  of  his  house 
and  invited  us  to  eari-y  the  pole  throuLih  llie  hallway  and  into 


CHAS.  VV.  SMITH 

Assig-ned  to  Battalion  at  Savenay  and  immediately  made  Adjutant. 
Mr.  Smith  was  able  to  speak  French  fluently  and  was  of  invaluable 
service  to  us  in  negotiating-  with  the  French:  it  was  no  doubt  due  to 
his  ability  in  this  respect  that  enabled  us  to  get  along  so  well  and  secure 
favors  that  others  could  not  obtain.  Promoted  to  1st  Lieut,  in  October, 
1918.  He  undoubtedly  had  more  duties  assigned  to  him  than  any  other 
one  man   in   an>-  single  organization   in   the  A.   E.   F. 


OrR  FTKST  REAL  .loi^,  61 

the  hack  yard.  This  pi-oved  the  easier  way  and  llie  ]»()1;'  was 
quickly  in  the  ground.  I'pon  returning  through  tlu'  house  the 
crew  found  a  tahle  set  with  wine  and  glasses  and  the  hospitable 
mayor  waiting  to  serve  them. 

On  account  of  accessibility  for  maintenance,  however,  the 
greater  portion  of  our  leads  in  France  were  set  alongside  tlu' 
highAvay.  On  this  first  work  of  ours,  trucks  were  equii)ped 
with  deri'ieks  Avliich  ;uud)led  i)o]es  to  be  set  more  rapidly  than 
by  hand  and  pike  poles.  Ti-ucks  were  also  ecpiipped  for  the 
stringing  of  wire  after  the  pole  line  was  ready.  All  of  this 
worlv  was  watched  M'ith  a  gi'eat  tleal  of  interest  by  the  French 
Postes  and  Telei)hone  officials,  and  the  writer  will  quote  from 
notes  made  by  one  of  the  members  of  a  party  delegated  to  ex- 
plain the  details  to  a  grou})  of  French  officials  who  came  to 
look  over  this  particular  line. 

"At  the  end  of  the  line  holes  were  being  dug  by  means 
of  the  long  digging  bars  and  spoons  in  the  more  or  less  soft 
ground,  while  a  short  distance  away,  a  number  had  to  l)e  l)lown 
with  dynamite.  Upon  our  approach  to  the  latter  place,  the 
party  stopped  for  a  moment  to  see  several  effective  charges 
blown,  the  electric  current  being  supi)lied  from  a  Xash  Quad 
truck,  much  to  the  surprise  of  the  s{)ectators  who  looked  on  in 
open-eyed  amazement  like  boys  seeing  their  first  circus.  Erect- 
ing of  the  poles  liy  means  of  a  truck  equipped  with  a  derrick 
was  the  next  step.  Next  we  can.e  to  the  10  reel  truck  paying 
out  wire  immediately  behind  a  truck  with  an  ari-angement 
which  had  efficiency  written  all  over  it.  This  contrivance, 
built  oil  llie  idea  of  a  long  arm  with  pins  si)aced  to  the  width 
of  a  10  pin  X  arm,  worked  on  the  idea  of  a  sec-saw.  dipping 
doAvn  on  one  side  of  a  pole,  picking  up  all  10  wires  on  the  other 
side,  moved  along  to  the  next  pole  and  set  tlicin  down  on  the  X 
arm  where  a  lineman  was  A^•aiting  to  steer  tliein  into  the  |)i'oper 
spaces'  on  the  X  arm. 

"AVe  next  came  upon  the  wire  pulling  uaiiii.  w  liicji  proNccI 
the  most  interesting  to  the  French  Fiigineers,  that  of  |)nlling 
10  wires  at  one  time,  the  itu)ti\e  power  used  heiiiL;  an  antn 
tj'uck.  This  caused  the  remMr]<  by  one  ot"  lln'in  that  they  only 
pulled  (lilt-  wire  at  a  time  and  the  lineiiijin  ciirricd  tlic  wire  on 


62 


:\[E:\roRiEs  of  the  "-niTir' 


(;K0RGE    K.    <►.    KlTHERFl'KD 

First  Lieutenant,  Company  1.  under  which  assignment  he 
served  practically  during  entire  period  of  service.  At  time 
of  Armistice  was  going  to  Officers'  School  and  would  shortly 
have   been    promoted   to   Captain. 

liis  back.  The  method  of  making  the  transpositions  was  also 
exi»hiiiied  to  them,  this  feature  being  taken  care  of  on  the  reel 
truck.     Copper  sleeves  for  splicing  wire  was  also  new  to -them. 

"The  next  and  last  step,  the  guyed  aud  completed  lead, 
brought  out  very  favorable  comment. 

"An  amusing  incident  happened  this  day  when,  for  the 
first  time,  a  French  lineman  tried  to  use  American  "hooks." 
This  Frencb.man  had  seen  some  of  our  linemen  "hit  the  stick'' 


OIR  FIRST  }IKAL  JOB  63 

about  five  feet  from  the  gTOuncl  and  run  up  to  the  "roof."  He 
started  and  after  a  very  laborious  c-liml)  reached  the  top,  and 
then  he  could  not  get  down.  lie  finally  succeeded  by  takin<i 
it  very  easy  and  a  few  inches  at  a  time.  Tlius  was  the  Amer- 
ican hook  and  safety  belt  introduced  to  the  French,  who  later 
were  making  plans  to  replace  all  their  old  style  climbers." 

After  completion  of  our  St.  Na/.a ire-Nantes  i)i'oject.  or(h*rs 
were  received  to  string  the  wire  on  the  pole  line  continuing  east 
from  Nantes  in  the  direction  of  Tours  to  a  place  called  Heau- 
prean,  a  distance  of  approximately  forty-one  miles.  This 
pole  line  had  been  erected  by  another  Battalion,  ])ut  they  were 
short  on  telephone  linemen,  and  as  the  fame  of  our  ''wire 
stringing  machine"  had  reached  Tours,  we  were  assigned  the 
.job  of  completing  the  wire  job.  It  is  generally  conceded  that 
this  Avas  one  of  the  fastest  wire  stringing  jobs  perfornu'd  in  the 
A.  E.  F. 

During  the  time  our  work  had  lieen  progressing,  almost  a 
complete  change  of  officer  organization  had  taken  place  in  our 
Battalion.  ]\Iajor  A.  II.  Griswolcl,  who  had  commanded  the 
outfit  from  the  time  of  being  called  into  service,  was  ordered  to 
Tours  about  three  weeks  after  arrival  at  Savenay,  for  the  pui-- 
pose  of  assuming  charge  of  the  Telephone  and  Telegrai)h  De- 
partment under  the  Chief  Signal  Officer,  A.  E.  F.  Captain 
Barbour  was  ordered  to  Tours  to  take  charge  of  uuiinlenance 
Avork,  and  Lieutenant  Curran  to  the  same  place  to  handle  engi- 
neering Avork.  Captain  C.  IT.  ]\Ioore,  Avho  had  been  in  command 
of  Company  D  from  the  time  of  being  called  into  service  was 
ordered  to  assume  command  of  the  l^attalion,  and  continued  in 
command  until  the  outfit  AA-as  ordered  to  return  to  the  States. 
Lieutenant  Scott  assumed  command  of  C()ini)any  E,  and  Lieuten- 
ant Coates  of  Company  D.  Second  Lieutenant  CliaiTes  \V.  Smith 
had  been  assigned  to  us  and  he  Avas  made  Battalion  Adjutant. 

During  the  month  of  April,  Lieutenant  IJul  hertiird  had  re- 
tui-ned  to  the  Battalion,  l)ringing  with  him  1  he  two  •piaranl  ined 
sections  Avhich  Ave  had  been  obliged  to  leave  behind  ;it  (';ini|» 
Merritt.  We  Avere  badly  in  need  of  these  men  as  during  the 
time  Ave  had  been  in  the  A.  E.  F.  avc  had  lost  many  by  assign- 
ments on  "s|)ecial  duty."    This  was  a  form  (d'  proi-eduii'  whi(di 


6-1  MEMOT^TES  OF  THE  ••411Tir' 

greatly  disturbed  our  ori^auization  and  consisted  of  taking  men 
aAva}^  from  the  outfit  for  some  special  duty  in  other  parts  of 
France.     However,  at  tliat  time,  competent  tele])h()ne  and  tele- 


nOAALD    W.    .SCOTT 

Fir.st  Lieutenant.  Conapany  D;  assigned  to  commanrl  Com- 
pany E  shortly  after  arrival  in  France;  pi-omoted  to  Captain 
July,  1918.  continuing-  in  command  of  Company  E.  Captain 
Scott  was  taken  seriously  ill  early  in  February,  1919,  and 
was  taken  to  the  Hospital  at  Chaumont,  where  a  serious 
and  complicated  operation  was  performed.  He  was  there 
until  May,  when  he  was  evacuated  to  the  U.  S.  Apparently 
fully  recovered,  he  was  discharged  and  returned  to  the 
employ  of  the  Telephone  Company,  lieing  assigned  to  the  po- 
sition of  Wire  Chief  at  Fresno.  Here  he  was  prospering  and 
very  happy  with  his  wife  and  daughter.  Suddenly,  he  was 
taken  ill  about  the  20th  of  September,  1920.  and  only  lived 
a  few  days.  His  untimely  passing  has  saddened  the  hearts 
of  his   old  comrades  as   he   was   much   beloved   by   all. 


66 


.ME.MOHIKS  OF  THE  "411TH^' 


grapli  men  Avere  not  plentiful,  and  it  was  quite  necessary  to 
take  these  men  for  im[)ortant  work  at  other  points.  At  the 
time  it  seemed  hard  to  part  with  our  men,  as  they  had  become 
part  of  the  "family"  and  it  made  it  more  difficult  to  do  our 
work,  as  no  replacements  were  possible  for  some  months  after- 
wards. 

And  so  our  first  complete  job  in  France  was  at  an  end,  as 
the  wire  stringing  had  been  completed  to  Beaupreau  and  the 
lines  all  connected  through  to  Tours  at  3  :30  P.  ]\I.  Satnrday, 
May  25th.  These  were  the  first  completed  circuits  from  head- 
quarters SOS  to  a  base  port,  and  to  show  how  urgently  they 
were  required,  one  of  our  testors  had  to  wait  until  nearly 
eleven  P.  ^\.  that  evening  ])efore  taking  any  chance  on  disturb- 
ing the  heavy  traffic. 

Our  outfit  was  being  gradually  drilled  into  a  smooth  going 
telephone  organization,  ^lany  almost  insurmountable  diffi- 
culties had  been  overcome  on  this  first  job  and  we  were  becom- 
ing more  and  more  embued  with  the  importance  of  the  service 
we  were  able  to  give  our  country.  The  men  were  working 
hard  and  doing  it  with  a  spirit  which  brought  results.  "Day- 
light to  dark"  was  our  working  schedule  and  yet  we  were 
"raring  to  go"  and  anxious  to  know  where  the  next  job  was 
to  be. 


VIII 
PARIS   AND    ENVIRONS 

T  F  a  vote  could  have  been  taken  of  the  entire  or.uanizatiou  as 
to  the  place  they  desired  to  go  next,  it  would  have  been  "to 
the  front"  as  the  first  choic^,  and  to  the  "battle  of  Paris"  as 
the  second.  The  stage  was  not  yet  quite  set  for  us  to  be  sent  to 
the  battle  zone  as  an  organization,  and  when  we  were  told  the 
next  morning  after  completing  Beaupreu  jol),  it  would 
be  Versailles,  there  was  loud  rejoicing,  as  tlie  i)ros- 
pect  of  being  stationed  almost  at  the  gates  of  Paris 
was  indeed  a  hai)p3'  thought.  The  move  was  to  be  overland  by 
motor  truck,  and  Ave  had  an  early  reveille  at  -liOO  A.  ]\I.  so  as 
to  be  on  the  road  by  daylight.  The  country  through  Avhicli  we 
passed  was  higher  and  more  wooded  than  that  in  which  Ave 
had  been  accustomed  while  living  in  the  valley  of  the  Loire. 
The  first  night  Ave  camped  on  the  roadside  not  far  from  La 
Fleche,  and  it  was  a  regular  gypsy  life.  We  visited  the  village 
in  the  evening  and  derived  much  pleasure  in  comparing  the 
slightly  different  customs  of  these  people  with  those  among 
whom  Ave  had  been  living.  The  next  morning  Ave  Avere  on  the 
road  at  daylight  and  arrived  in  LeMans  about  ten  A.  M.  This 
is  quite  a  large  city,  and  it  Avas  here  that  the  Wi-ight  Brothers 
first  had  an  opportunity  of  demonstrating  their  aeroplane  in- 
ventions to  the  French,  after  our  country  had  refused  to  listen 
to  them.  This  city  became  one  of  the  big  embai'l<ati()n  centers 
after  the  armistice. 

After  leaving  Le  I\Ians  the  road  is  practically  straight  for 
a  distance  of  tAventy-five  miles.  And  AAdiat  a  Avonderful  road 
it  Avas !  Built  first  in  a  A^ery  early  day  by  the  Ronuuis,  it  had 
been  carefully  maintained  under  the  system  of  talking  care  of 
roads  by  the  French.  It  had  not  been  subjected  to  any  heavy 
truck  traffic  like  the  roads  further  to  the  south  Avhich  Avere 
beginning  to  feel  the  strain  of  heavy  truck  trains  from  the  base 
ports,  and  Ave  traveled  along  in  our  trucks  for  miles  and  miles 


1.  Alexander  III  Bridge;  looking  toward  the  Grand  Palace  of  Art. 

2.  American  Army  and   Red  Cross  Nurses  July   4,  191S.  Parade,  Paris. 

3.  French   Cavalry   July   4,   191S,  Parade.   Paris". 

4.  Eiffel   Tower. 

5.  Trochadero   Museum.   Paris. 


I'Aias  AND  ENVIRONS 


69 


with  hardly  any  more  jar  tliaii  had  we  l)eeii  ridiH<i'  in  the  Com- 
inandino'  Officer's  McFarhiii.  lie  drove  the  entire  distanee 
to  Paris,  al)ont  two  hundred  and  forty  miles,  in  sevtMi  hours. 
Our  camp  that  night  Avas  on  tlu^  roadside  about  nine  kilometers 
from  Chartes,  which  is  one  of  the  very  oldest  cities  in  France 
and  rich  in  historic  interest.  The  cathedral  is  a  very  large  and 
V)eautiful  one,  and  its  spire  can  l)e  seen  nearly  as  far  as  the  eye 
can  reach  in  all  directions. 

From  here  on  the  country  was  more  thi(d\l\'  poi)ulated  as 
Ave  were  nearing  the  big  center  of  Paris.  At  noon  we  stopped 
at  St.  Cyr,  which  is  the  "West  Point"  of  France.  The  school 
covers  a  large  space  and  during  the  Avar  it  Avas  one  of  the  most 
important  training  centers  for  French  officers.  Here  Avas  also 
located  one  of  the  large  aeroplane  factories.  We  saAv  many 
Avrecks  of  Bosche  planes  AA'hich  had  .just  come  in  from  the  front : 
also  the  remains  of  allied  planes.  Practically  every  one  in  the 
outfit  Avas  destined  to  have  an  air  ride  from  this  field  and  an 
adjoining  one  during  our  stay  in  Versailles.  After  lunch  Ave 
droA'e  on  into  Versailles  and  on  up  the  Hill  to  Camp  Satory 
Avhich  Avas  to  be  our  station.  Arrangements  had  been  made  for 
us  and  Ave  Avere  soon  settled.  This  Avas  an  old  French  Camp, 
the  buildings  Avere  of  Avood  and  not  in  a  very  good  state  of 


July  4.  1918,  celebration  at  Si.  Gerinaine.  Battalion 
standard  and  colors.  Lieut.  Smith  standing  against  door; 
he  made  address  in  French  to  townspeople,  who  iiractic- 
allv  turned  the  day  into  a  fete  for  members  of  ilif    lllth. 


70  :\[E.M()1J1ES  OF  TIIK  ••411Tir' 

repair.    However,  as  we  did  not  have  to  go  to  work  immediate- 
ly, everyone  pitehed  in  and  cleaned  np. 

While  waiting'  for  aetnal  work  to  begin  on  oui-  new  job 
permission  was  given  to  visit  Paris  and  see  some  of  the  other 
many  interesting  things.  About  forty  decided  to  visit  the 
Palace  of  Vei-sailles,  and  as  practically  everyone  in  the  or- 
ganization had  an  opportunity  of  nuiking  this  visit  later,  it 
will  l)e  interesting  to  cln-onicle  a  few  of  the  sights,  although 
it  would  take  a  volume  to  tell  all  about  the  wonderful  palace 
and  its  surrounding's  where  Louis  XIV  and  his  Royal  family 
played  centuries  ago.  We  hired  a  guide  to  take  us  through  the 
Palaces  and  grounds ;  he  was  a  little  old  Frenchman  who  spoke 
fair  Euglish  and  who  had  a  great  deal  of  pep  and  ambition. 
We  first  visited  some  of  the  rooms  on  the  second  floor,  the  first 
one  we  visited  containing  a  very  fine  bust  of  Napoleon  and 
many  war  relics  of  his  time.  The  rooms  were  elaborately  fin- 
ished, all  had  hardwood  floors,  and  the  walls  Avere  hung  witli 
the  most  gorgeous  and  beautiful  tapestries.  We  passed  on  into 
the  state  bed  room  of  the  King  which  was  in  the  front  of  the 
Palace,  overlooking  the  marble  court.  The  beds  were  wonder- 
ful creations,  the  canopies  and  coverings  of  heavily  embroider- 
ed silk.  Next  we  visited  the  State  Council  Chamber  where  the 
King-  held  meetings  with  his  ministers.  There  was  a  small 
throne  in  this  room,  and  the  table  around  which  the  ministers 
used  to  gather  was  most  beautifully  inlaid  with  gold  and  silver. 
Then  in  succession  we  visited  the  card  room,  the  music  room 
and  various  other-  chambers  Avhich  were  used  for  different  en- 
tertainment and  social  purposes,  and  then  into  the  Hall  of  Mir- 
rors, which  has  since  became  more  famous  as  the  room  in  which 
the  Paris  Peace  Treaty  was  signed.  Stepping  out  onto  the  bal- 
cony from  this  room  a  fine  view  was  obtained  of  the  very  ex- 
tensive gardens;  first  the  terraces,  with  their  fountains  and 
flower  l)eds;  then  large  stairways  lead  down  to  the  lower  walks 
and  the  lagoon.  Looking  past  the  lagoon,  the  end  of  the  gar- 
dens, fully  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  balcony,  presented  a  most 
imposing  scene,  the  trees  which  were  very  large  and  symetrical- 
ly  trinnned,  giving  the  effect  of  a  high  green  wall.  Stepping 
back   tlii'ough   the   Hall    of  ^Mirrors,   we  passed   on   into   many 


PARIS  AND  ENVIRONS 


71 


other  beautiful  rooms,  the  walls  and  ceilings  of  wliicli  were  ilee- 
orated  with  very  fine  paintings,  the  woodwork  heavily  gilded. 
We  then  saw  the  winter  ballroom,  which  Avas  not  as  large  as 
the  other  and  was  nsed  for  private  dancing  parties.  From  the 
walls  were  hung  large  oil  paintings  of  famous  l)attles.  Next 
we  visited  the  eha])el.  which  Louis  XIV  had  built  for  liimself 


\\  IM.I  A  ^1    11.    (I   l{|{  A  \ 

Fii'st  Lieutenant,  CVmiimn.v  10  (luiins  IraininK  fanip  perioil; 
made  BaUaHon  Adjutant  just  prior  to  leavinj^'  ]Vrontere>-. 
Transferred  fi'oni  organiy.ation  sliortly  after  arrival  in 
France  and  assigned  to  special  engineering  duties  at  SOS 
lieadfiuarters.  Tours.  Had  charge  of  planning  lines  of  coni- 
numication  in  SOS  and  Advance  Section.  Promoted  to  Cap- 
tain and  then  to  Ma.ior  during  Summer  and  I'^aU.  litis.  Signal 
Officer  Advance  Section  after  Armistice. 


72  ]\IE:\rORIES  OF  THE  "411TH" 

and  court  attendants  in  Avliidi  to  worship;  it  was  most  elab- 
orately finished,  the  pews  being'  covered  Avith  fine  plush.  The 
yallery  of  battle  pictures  contained  oil  paintings  of  all  the 
famous  battles  in  which  the  French  have  taken  part  from  the 
time  France  was  first  inhabited  by  the  Phoenecians  up  until  the 
war  of  1871.  All  of  these  paintings  were  very  well  preserved 
and  looked  like  new.  And  then,  lastly,  we  visited  the  room 
Avhich  is  only  used  for  the  purpose  of  swearing  in  the  President 
of  France  at  the  time  he  takes  the  oath  of  office. 

Passing  out  of  the  Palace  onto  the  Terrace  the  famous  foun- 
tains are  in  view.  At  that  time  the  water  was  turned  off  on 
account  of  the  war,  but  it  was  easy  to  visualize  the  scene  when 
it  was  in  full  i)lay.  We  crossed  on  through  the  garden  to 
the  bathing  pool  and  other  places  of  interest,  and  then  on  to 
the  coach  house.  Here  are  housed  all  the  famous  coaches  and 
other  vehicles  which  have  been  used  by  the  memliers  of  royalty. 
They  were  all  carved  and  heavily  gilded.  The  writer's  special 
attention  was  directed  to  one  which  had  been  l)uilt  for  r,  special 
state  occasion  and  had  only  been  used  twice.  In  glass  cases 
around  the  walls  were  the  harnesses  which  were  of  the  very 
finest  leather,  with  gold  and  silver  mountings,  buckles  and 
trimmings.  From  here  we  visited  the  petite  and  grand  trianon 
Palaces.  These  two  palaces  were  used  by  the  King  when  he 
tired  of  living  in  the  Grand  Palace.  They  were  nnicli  smaller 
and  not  as  elaborate.  One  particular  room  of  interest  to  all 
visitors  was  one  used  by  Louis  XIV  in  which  to  dine.  The  table 
was  set  on  a  trap  door  on  the  floor  and  was  lowered  ])elow  to 
the  kitchens  and  pantries  where  the  meal  was  placed  upon  it. 
It  was  then  raised  into  the  room,  where  the  King  dined  aloiu'. 
We  miglit  have  remained  and  been  interested  for  many  hours 
longer,  but  the  day  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  after  visiting 
the  dairy  farm  of  ^Marie  Antoinette,  we  wandei'ed  l)ack  to  camp 
well  pleased  with  our  l)rief  visit  to  the  F^alaee  of  Versailles. 

A  GLLMPSE  OF  ACTIVE  SEKVICE  AT  THE  FRONT 

During  the  time  that  Ave  had  lieen  in  France  many  inquiries 
liad  been  made  from  time  to  time  as  to  Avhen  we  Avere  going  to 
the  front?     It  Avas  all  verA-  Avell  to  be  luiilding  toll  lines  and 


PARIS  AND  EX VI RONS 


73 


:\ISI-:.    GAIIRETT     KXIIIIUTING    A     PAIR    OF     FRKNCH 
CI.IMBERS  OR  HOOKS 

dointi'  other  important  telephone  and  tele<iraph  work,  bnt  the 
allies  dnring-  these  months  were  passing  through  the  most  erit- 
ieal  period  of  the  \var,  and  every  man  in  the  outfit  was  anxious 
to  get  further  up  where  he  could  hear  the  roar  of  battle  and 
really  feel  that  he  was  a  participant.  Although  the  I'uited 
States  had  at  this  time  l)een  in  the  war  for  over  a  year,  and  our 
P^irst  Division  had  been  in  Fi-ance  for  most  of  that  year,  Amer- 
ican troops  had  not  engaged  in  any  real  fighting.  During 
March,  at  a  conference  in  Paris,  Secretary  of  War  I^)al<t'i-  ;iii(l 
(Jeneral  Pershing  had  decided  that  oui'  forces  should  he  tui-ncd 
over  to  ^larshall  Foch  ;  the  I'resident  had  approved  by  cal)!!'. 
and  on  the  2Sth  of  ^larch,  at  a  mecling  of  the  allied  (Miinmand- 
ers,  (Jeneral  Pershing  had  made  Ihal  nicnioi-ablc  dcdai-al  ion  lo 
^larsliall  Foi-li :  "All  that  we  have  isyoni-s:  use  it  as  yon  \visli."" 
There  were  foui'  American  l)i\isioiis  in  Franec  at  that 
time — only  a  little  )noi-e  than  lOO.OOO  combatant  troops,  (icn- 
ei-al  Pershing's  offer  was  accepted:  the  first  di\isioii  was  sent 
to  the   line  op|)osite   .Montdidier ;   the   I'titli   went    in   the   line  at 


Arch  lie  Triuniiilie.  4.      Bastile  Monument. 

Napoleon's  Tomb.  5.      French  Cavaliy   July   4,   1919  Parade. 

"The  Obelisk"  looking-  across         6.      American  Infanti  y  July  4,  1919  Parade, 
one  of  the  fountain.s,  Place  de  la  Concorde. 


PARIS  AND  ENVIRONS  75 

St.  Mihiel.  At  last  American  trooi)s  had  entered  tlie  wai-  on  tlie 
firing  line.  Dnring  the  month  of  April  and  ^lay  npwards  of 
350,000  American  troops  ponred  into  France ;  there  was  now 
no  qnestion  as  to  the  nnmhers  wliich  were  coming.  l)iit  how 
wonld  they  fight?  That  was  the  vital  question  to  America,  to 
the  Allies  and  to  the  common  enemy  in  iMay,  1918.  German}^ 
belittled  the  possibility  of  onr  fighting  well ;  the  Allied  press 
had  taken  snccess  for  granted ;  neither  side  was  quite  sure ;  the 
stage  was  set  for  the  trial.  The  little  town  of  Cantigny  was  the 
center  of  a  small  salient  projecting  into  the  Allied  line  west 
of  Montdidier. 

An  attack  had  been  planned  to  take  place  by  the  28th  In- 
fantry of  the  1st  Division  on  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  May, 
but  an  event  of  the  day  before  is  mentioned  here,  as  it  made  the 
forthcoming  success  in  taking  Cantigny  the  only  ray  of  light 
on  an  otherwise  dismal  picture.  On  the  morning  of  ]\lay  27th 
a  great  mass  of  German  troops  had  sud(k*nly  pushed  across  the 
Ailette,  over  the  strong  position  of  the  Ghemin  des  Dames,  and 
before  the  day  was  done  they  had  pushed  across  the  Yesle  and 
were  on  their  way  south  to  the  Marne.  The  connnuniques  had 
little  encouragement  of  allied  progress.  The  next  day,  how- 
ever, the  28th  Infantry,  supported  by  French  tank  battalions, 
a  platoon  of  French  flame  throwers  and  a  small  force  of  1st  U. 
S.  Engineers,  passed  all  obstacles,  overcame  the  German  de- 
fenses, captured  or  killed  the  defenders  and  lield  Gantigny 
against  all  subsequent  counter  attacks. 

This  small  engagement  was  of  great  importance;  it  gave 
encouragement  to  the  Allies  and  confidence  in  the  ability  of  V. 
S.  troops  to  fight  "on  their  own."  General  Pershing  in  si)cak'- 
ing  of  this  engagement  in  his  report  said  :  "Although  'Incal,  this 
brilliant  action  had  an  electrical  effect,  as  it  demonsli-ated  oni- 
fighting  qualities  under  extreme  battle  conditions."" 

The  411th  had  the  oi)portnnity  of  liclping  in  a  small  way 
in  this  engagement,  as  on  the  moi-ning  of  .May  2.')lli  an  oi-chn- 
was  received  to  rush  a  snuili  detachment  of  cxix'rl  lincnicn 
under  command  of  an  officei-  to  assist  the  SiLinal  Officer  of 
the  1st  Division  in  i)i"epai'ing  tlie  lines  of  connnunicalion  on 
the    proposed    offensive    against    Cantigny.      l/ieiit eiiant    .\.    !'>. 


Tfi 


:\iE:\roRTER  of  the  •'4iith 


.mi:mbeiis  of  company  d  are  photographed  with  some 
of  their  french  friends  at  brie  compte  robert 

Coates,  with  a  detachment  of  fifteen  men,  avms  hnrried 
across  country  by  motor  truck  to  ^larseilles  la  petite  and  Fon- 
taine. They  did  most  efficient  work,  in  keeping-  up  communi- 
cation, and  had  an  opportunity  of  installing  telephone  service 
in  temporary  headquarters  for  ^larshall  Foch  and  General 
Pershing.  This  detachment  had  many  lively  stories  to  tell  upon 
their  return  and  the  camp  was  all  trenil)liug  with  excitenuuit 
for  many  days.  Active  service  had  l)een  experienced  and 
everybody  wanted  to  be  up  where  the  ""Big  Show"  was  going 
on. 

On  June  1st  Company  D  was  moved  to  St.  (lermain-En- 
Laye,  a  wealthy  suburb  about  twelve  kilometers  northwest  of 
Versailles,  that  they  might  be  more  advantageously  located  to 
carry  on  the  work.  Tlu^  night  of  the  day  they  moved  will  be 
remembered  as  our  first  experience  in  air  raids.  At  tliis  time 
it  was  almost  a  nightly  occurrence  for  the  Hun  bombing  planes 
to  make  air  raids  over  Paris  and  the  surrounding  sul)url)s.  A 
verv  elaboi'att^  svstem  of  signaling-  (k'viees  of  all  ]\iuds  had  been 


PARIS  AND  EX VT RONS  77 

installed  for  the  purpose  of  advisiuu'  the  inhabitants  as  soon  as 
the  outlying  observation  posts  detected  the  (Ternians  coming 
over.  As  soon  as  the  "alerte"  was  sounded,  every  light  in  the 
city  and  sul)urbs  was  ininiediately  switched  off,  trolley  lines 
and  the  subAvay  stopped  and  in  fact  an  absolute  cessation  of 
traffic  took  place.  The  inhabitants  immediately  sought  "abri"" 
locations,  and  absolute  quiet  Avas  presumed  to  i)revail  until  the 
"all  clear"  signal  was  given.  On  this  particular  night  of  oui- 
first  experience,  the  "alerte"  was  sounded  about  11:30  P.  ]\I. ; 
the  sky  was  immediately  lighted  with  a  great  many  seai'ch- 
lights  weaving  their  shafts  of  light  back  and  forth  across  the 
heavens  in  search  of  the  Hun  planes.  The  anti-aircraft  guns 
opened  fire  and  the  sky  was  filled  Avith  boquets  of  fire  from  the 
bursting  shells.  Added  to  all  of  these  deafening  noises  Avas 
the  shrill  blast  of  sirens  from  every  side  Avarning  the  inhal)it- 
ants  to  flee  to  the  "abris. "  One's  impression  at  first  Avas  that 
a  gigantic  Fourth  of  July  celebration  Avas  being  rehearsed,  and 
the  writer,  in  common  Avith  many  others  of  our  outfit,  stood  out 
in  the  open  scpiare  of  the  Palace  of  Versailles  a  A^ery  much  in- 
terested spectator,  until  a  gendarme  came  along  and  hustled 
lis  all  to  cover.  Air  raids  Avere  of  very  frequent  occurrence  af- 
ter that  and  interfered  very  much  AAdth  our  rest.  The  men  Avere 
Avorking  A'ery  hard  from  daylight  to  dark  and  Avent  to  bed 
each  night  dead  tired,  only  to  be  aAvakened  after  a  couple  of 
honrs  sleep  and  hustled  doAvn  into  the  caves,  to  stand  in  half 
slnmber  until  the  "all  clear"  Avas  given. 

The  .job  Avhich  had  been  assigned  us  in  this  locality  Avas  an 
extremely  important  one  and  had  to  be  finished  in  the  very 
shortest  possible  time.  It  consisted  in  the  building  of  a  tAventy- 
four  Avire  lead  from  a  junction  Avith  the  British  lines  at  a  suudl 
place  called  Ham  to  La  belle  Epine,  just  south  of  Paris,  a  dis- 
tance of  approximately  thirty-threi^  and  oiu'-thii-d  miles.  This 
lead  Avas  to  serA^e  as  the  connecting  link  between  ( 'luiunumt,  tin- 
t(»ll  sAvitching  point  to  be  La  belle  Ei>ine  just  outside  1  lu'  gates 
of  Paris.  After  careful  consideration  it  Avas  decided  lo  l)uil(1 
the  lead  along  the  higlnvay  ami  to  utilize  an  existiui:  l^'i-eneh 
lead  jointly  Avherever  possibh".  Tliis  jol)  |)i-esente(l  many  dif- 
ficulties in  the  AvaA'  of  sli'eiiut  heuiiiu  ttie  1^'i-ench  h'ad.  buihliuL;' 


78  MEMORIES  OF  THE  '-^IITH" 

through  forests,  over  canals,  cable  Avork  through  a  half  mile 
railroad  tunnel,  private  right-of-ways  over  property  owned  by 
Royalty,  transposition  problems  in  connecting-  with  a  different 
system  of  the  British  and  constant  delays  and  annoyances  in 
obtaining  the  necessary  material  which  had  to  be  hauled  long" 
distances  by  motor  truck.  Everybody  in  the  organization  was 
working-  from  daylight  to  dark,  as  orders  had  been  received 
that  the  work  absolutely  had  to  be  finished  not  later  than 
June  30th. 

As   the    foregoing   work   was   nearing   completion   we   re- 


JOH.N    I.  .»l  UNS 

Second  Lieutenant  Signal  Corps.  Assigned  to 
BattaHon  in  .July.  191S.  With  Company  D  until 
discharge  in  U.  S. 


TAlilS  AND  EXVllfOXS  79 

ceived  orders  to  begin  tlic  const nid ion  of  the  toll  opei'atiiig 
buildings  and  exchange  at  La  helle  Epine.  The  buildings, 
three  in  number — exchange,  barracks  and  garage,  were  con- 
structed "with  Adrian  bai-rack  material.  On  account  of  the 
importance  of  the  equipment  to  be  i)laced  in  the  toll  operating 
exchange  building,  it  AA-as  believed  that  it  would  later  be  de- 
cided to  build  of  more  substantial  material — it  being  ({uestion- 
able  if  the  light  Adrian  barrack  material  would  withstand  the 
elements  after  a  few  weeks.  A  concrete  floor  was  laid  in  this 
Iniilding  with  a  slal)  of  concrete  three  feet  thick  and  a  finish 
oue  inch  thick.  A  three  inch  (dearance  was  provided  l)eyoud 
the  outside  edges  of  the  wooden  structure  to  permit  of  the  i)er- 
manent  structure  above  mentioned.  The  garage  and  bai'racks 
Avere  erected  of  the  Adrian  barrack  material,  reinforced  in  the 
Aveak  places  so  as  to  assure  the  structures  standing  up  under 
the  heavy  Avind  and  rain  storms  Avhich  Avere  of  more  or  less  fre- 
quent occurrence  in  that  locality.  Part  of  the  plan  of  the  J^a 
belle  Epine  pro.ject  involved  the  use  of  the  French  underground 
cable  from  this  point  to  Paris.  Permission  Avas  obtained  to 
build  a  manhole  directly  across  from  the  exchange  building ;  a 
trench  was  tunneled  under  the  higliAvay  and  tile  ducts  laid. 
The  necessary  duct  runs  Avere  also  provided  fi'om  the  cahh'  to 
the  distril)uting  frame,  to  the  engine  room  Avhere  the  power 
plant  Avas  to  be  located  and  to  other  i)oints  Avhere  it  Avas  ap- 
parent they  might  be  recpiired.  An  engine  base  of  concrete 
Avas  constructed  in  the  garage  and  Iavo  storage  hattei-y  charii- 
ing  and  Iavo  lighting  sets  mounted.  In  fact,  a  conq)lete  lay- 
out for  the  establishment  of  the  toll  sAvitching  center  Avas  plan- 
ned and  completed.  It  Avill  he  easily  understood  that  the  ob- 
taining of  the  necessary  materials  for  all  of  this  Avork  uiulei- 
the  conditions  AA^hich  existed  at  that  time,  lack  of  propei-  tools. 
etc.,  Avas  a  big  handicap,  but  the  .job  had  to  l)e  done,  and  was 
acconqilislu'd  despite  the  handicai)s  and   in  record  time. 

In  the  meantime,  the  remainder  of  the  organization  Avas 
engaged  in  building  a  lO-Avii-e  lead  ft'oni  La  belle  Kpine  to 
Guignes,  a  distance  of  about  t  went  \-t'ive  miles.  This  consti- 
tuted the  last  remaining  gap  (d'  the  ( 'haumont-l'aris  lead,  and 
j-ight   at   that  time  Avas   most    urgeully   i-eqnired — not    oidy   to 


LEGEND 


%  Routt  of  telephone 

LEAD    BUILT   6Y   Allt-"  TEl_.BN. 
SCALE     )M     MILES 


PARIS  AND  P]XV1R0NS  81 

handle  the  heavy  amount  of  traffic  from  (JIlQ  at  (Miaiimont  to 
Paris  bnt  also  that  eomnninication  miuht  be  estal)lisiie(l  witli 
British  GHQ  over  the  lead  which  we  had  jnst  completed  from 
La  belle  Epine  to  the  connecting'  British  point  at  llam.  The 
pole  line  was  practically  comi)leted  and  we  were  jnst  I'eady  to 
begin  stringing-  wire  when  the  news  which  we  had  been  await- 
ing- for  months  arrived:  "The  411th  Telegraph  Battalion  will 
report  to  the  Chief  Signal  Officer  of  the  First  Ai-my  witlioul 
delay." 

Before  leaving  the  area  of  the  SOS  and  chronicling  the 
events  in  the  zone  of  the  army,  the  writer  believes  lie  shouhl 
tell  the  reader  a  little  of  Paris.  It  was  the  writer's  good  for- 
tune to  have  made  many  visits  to  the  "City  of  Lights"  during 
his  stay  in  the  A.  E.  F.,  and  it  is  difficult  to  tell  very  much  about 
this  city  in  a  short  narrative.  Therefore,  this  portion  of  our 
story  will  be  confined  to  a  recital  of  places  visited  during  a 
day  and  a  half  sojourn  in  the  style  capital  of  the  World. 

Visiting  Paris  for  the  first  time,  and  especially  during  that 
period,  one  is  not  impressed  with  any  particular  idea  of  being 
in  a  large  city;  the  buildings  are  not  high,  the  people  do  not 
livn-ry,  everybody  appears  good-natured  and  in  fact  one  seems 
to  feel  that  all  are  jnst  there  to  have  a  good  time.  But  we  had 
heard  all  our  lives  that  there  was  a  great  deal  to  see,  and  after 
picking  up  a  couple  of  army  fi'iends.  we  started  out,  and  it  so 
happened  that  the  first  place  of  note  we  visited  was  the  .Alado- 
line.  So  far  as  memory  serves  the  writer,  this  is  the  only  large 
church  in  France  which  did  not  have  a  spire.  It  is  of  the  (ire- 
eian  type  of  architecture  with  larg.e  doric  columns  in  fi-out.  AVe 
strolled  along-  the  Rue  Royale  to  the  Place  d;'  hi  Coucorde, 
Avhich  without  doubt  is  the  most  wondei-ful  INace  in  Kuroi)e. 
Located  at  the  end  of  the  world  famous  Champs  Elysees  and 
in  front  of  the  Tuileries  (Jardcns,  il  has  witliiu  its  confines  the 
monument  of  Alsace-Lorraine  (at  lluit  time  (li-aix'd  in  iiiotirn- 
ing-,  in  which  state  it  had  Ixmmi  since  the  war  of  ISTO;  a  slatnle 
made  of  melted  cannons  ca|)tui'e(l  l)y  Napoh'ou  (Ini-iiiu  his  dif- 
ferent wars,  surmounted  l)y  a  figui-e  of  the  great  (leneral  on 
horseback;  Cleopatra's  Needle:  and  many  otluu-  statutes,  nioii- 
ments  ami  fountains,  c(iniiiiemoi-at  i\('  of  historical  ex'euts.  ('ross- 


1.  station,  Tours. 

2.  Stop  of  Leave  Train. 

3.  T^^here   41Uli   men   first   went 

"up   in   the  air." 


4.  Effect  aerial   bomb   "Metro." 

5.  Aerial   raid.  Paris. 

6.  French  telephone  installers,  Paris. 


PARIS  AND  P]XVIROXS  83 

iuji'  the  Place  de  la  Concorde,  we  reached  the  Bridge  of  Alex- 
ander III  spaiininj^'  the  River  Seine.  This  bridge  is  said  to  be 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world.  As  we  pass  across  the 
bridge  we  hesitate  a  few  minutes  to  watch  the  craft  of  all  de- 
scriptions moving  up  and  down  the  river;  "How  mucli  more 
use  the  people  here  seem  to  make  of  their  waterways  than  we 
do  in  our  country,"  someone  in  the  party  remarked. 

Reluctantly  we  leave  the  busy  I'iver  scene  and  i)ass  on  to 
Les  Invalides.  In  the  courtyard  are  many  relics  of  i)ast  w^ars 
and  trophies  captured  in  the  present  great,  war.  Here  we  saw 
for  the  first  time  (jferman  aeroplanes,  parts  of  Zei)i)elins,  dif- 
ferent types  of  artillery  captured  from  the  enemy ;  in  fact, 
everything  that  was  being  \ised  on  the  front  as  an  instrument  of 
destruction.  The  Tomb  of  Napoleon  is  located  back  of  Les 
Invalides ;  the  well-like  room  is  solid  marble  and  is  a  very  splen- 
did and  imposing  resting  place  for  so  great  a  warrior.  ]\Iany 
soldiers,  whose  uniforms  represented  all  the  allies,  were  pass- 
ing in  and  out.  Around  his  tomb  were  clusters  of  battle  flags, 
not  only  those  that  he  had  captured  from  the  enemy,  but  those 
which  had  been  captured  by  his  comrades,  all  showing  th-^ 
l)attle  scarred  effects  of  cannon  fire.  Someone  complained 
about  this  time  of  having  a  sore  foot,  and  suggested  that  we 
take  a  ride  through  the  Bois  de  Boulogne,  the  great  park  of 
Paris.  This  Park  is  to  Paris,  what  Central  Park  is  to  New 
York  and  Golden  Gate  Park  to  San  Francisco.  During  all  of  the 
time  that  our  organization  was  stationed  at  Versailles  we 
passed  through  "the  Bois"  almost  daily,  and  the  writer  is  sui*e 
that  all  will  carry  a  mental  picture  always  of  its  evergreen 
trees,  its  little  lakes  overhung  with  trees  and  surrounded  by 
flower-bordered  paths;  its  beautiful  winding  roads;  its  tea 
gardens  and  promenades.  On  our  return  we  passed  through  the 
Arc  De  Triomphe  at  the  head  of  the  Champs  Elysees,  stopping 
for  a  few  minutes  to  admire  the  bas-reliefs  aiul  the  inscriptions 
of  Napoleon's  ^larshalls  and  Generals  on  the  inside  walls  of 
the  arches,  as  well  as  the  names  of  many  of  the  cities  which  he 
captured.  As  we  left  the  Arc,  we  had  our  fii'sl  view  down  the 
Champs  Elysees  from  the  P^toile.  Ali-eady  there  was  a  (•ons|)ie- 
uous  coloring  of  Amei'ican  Olive  Drab,  but  only  a  hint  of  what 


84 


ME:\roRiEs;  of  ttie  "4iiTir" 


"vvas  to  eonu>  wlien  this  boulevard  liecanie  the  most  American- 
ized street  of  Europe  in  the  succeeding  months  of  1918  and 
1919.  With  its  broad,  well  paved  boulevard,  bordered  on  either 
side  by  Avide  sidewalks  and  lined  with  trees,  is  it  any  wonder 
that  this  tliorouuhfare  is  the  favorite  promenade  for  the  Pa- 
risian and  visitors?  We  rode  on  down  the  Champs  Elysees, 
again  passing  through  the  Place  de  la  Concorde  and  on  dowii 
town  to  the  "Cafe  de  la  Paix."  This  cafe  is  a  sort  of  institu- 
tion in  Paris,  and  it  used  to  be  said  that  if  one  were  to  sit  in 


H.    T.    EAST 

Second  Lieutenant  Signal  Corps.  Joined   411tli  August.   1918 
and  assigned  to  duties  as  Supply  Officer. 


PARIS  AND  ENVIRONS  85 

front  loiiii'  eiionuh  he  woukl  see  everybody  in  the  world  wliom 
he  k]iew  pass  by.  And  here  we  ate,  dranlc  and  ua/.ed  u|)ou  the 
pronienadors. 

After  hineh  we  visited  the  Bastile.  The  original  building, 
you  will  remember  by  referring  to  your  history,  was  torn  down 
at  the  time  of  the  French  Revolution.  On  the  site  of  the  fam- 
ous old  prison  is  a  column,  surmounted  by  a  statute  of  liberty, 
connnemorating  the  14th  of  July  in  the  History  of  France.  We 
again  crossed  the  river  to  the  world  famous  Notre  Dame  Ca- 
thedral. At  this  time  the  entrances  and  windows  Avere  entirely 
covered  Avitli  sandbags  for  protection  against  air  raids  and 
"Big  Bertha"  shells.  The  grotesque  gargoyles  inade  quite 
some  impression  on  the  whole  party,  and  all  agreed  that  the 
church  was  typical  of  the  infinte  care  of  French  art.  We  then 
visited  the  Pantheon,  the  Luxembourg  Gardens  and  took  a  ride 
through  the  subway  or  "]\Ietro"  as  everyone  calls  it  in  Paris. 
The  subways  of  Paris  are  well  organized  and  compare  favor- 
ably witli  the  best  in  our  country.  We  had  only  stafted  our 
tour,  l)ut  the  day  was  draAving  to  a  close  and  we  had  to  post- 
pone our  sightseeing  on  the  outside  to  another  day.  The  writer 
will  not  here  take  the  time  of  the  reader  in  telling  about  the 
night  life  of  Paris,  because  it  is  a  story  by  itself ;  every  soldier 
and  officer  who  has  been  in  the  A.  E.  F.  has  "covered"  all  of 
its  angles  and  novelists  of  international  renown  have  written 
stories  of  its  individualities  and  allurements. 

The  next  day  we  visited  the  Eifel  Tower,  the  Trocadero, 
and  then  through  the  Tuileries  Gardens.  Here  was  a  most  rest- 
ful spot  not  far  from  the  center  of  the  city ;  many  people  were 
seated  thronghont,  people  of  low  and  high  degree,  and  every- 
where children  playing;  little  did  it  seem  that  only  twenty-five 
miles  away  the  German  Army  was  preparing  what  proved  to  be 
its  last  great  offensive  on  Paris,  for  the  very  avowed  purpose  of 
destroying  the  idols  of  the  French  as  they  had  in  1870.  In- 
deed, as  we  were  strolling  leisurely  along,  enjoying  tlu'se  I'elics 
of  the  past,  a  "Big  Bertha"  exploded  only  a  few  l)locks  away. 
A  few  women  screamed  and  the  children  were  somewhat  star- 
th'd,  l)ut  only  for  a  few  minules  and  then  they  i-csiuiumI  their 
l»l;i\'.     In  the  center  of  tlu-  uarch'us  in  the  forward  court  is  a 


1.  Ori!2:inaI    Mohilization    Order. 

2.  '-Pinis"  Declaration  of  successful  ending-  of  A^'ai 
'■J.      liLiUeliu    Board    "La   France   Libre"   Paris. 


PARIS  AND  F.XVIKOXS 


87 


statute  of  Lafayette:  the  tlonatioii  of  tli(>  school  cliildrcii  of 
America.  And  then  we  turned  aiul  })assed  on  to  the  Louvre. 
The  orijiinal  Louvre  was  eoinnieneed  in  1541  l)y  Francois  I:  in 
1564  Catherine  de  Medici  carried  the  work  on  and  betian  that 
I)ortion  of  the  building  known  as  Les  Tuileries :  from  this  time 
on  there  were  additions  made  by  different  rulers,  Napoleon 
causing'  a  great  deal  of  work  to  be  done  during  his  time.  AVe 
stood  in  the  courtyard  where  the  Ilugenots  were  slaughtered 
and  here  saw  the  foundations  of  the  original  Lonvre:  stand- 
ing in  front  of  the  Louvre,  we  could  look  through  the  Tuileries 
Gardens,  on  past  the  Place  de  la  Concorde,  up  the  Champs 
Elysees  to  the  Arc  de  Triomphe.  Here  was  a  vast  work  of  art 
and  architectural  beauty  and  we  marveled  at  the  hugeness  of 
it  and  the  centuries  it  had  taken  to  bring  it  to  this  point  of  per- 
fecion.  The  French  have  dedicated  this  ground  in  the  very  cen- 
ter of  their  beloved  Paris  that  they  might  have  a  proper  set- 
ting for  these  works  of  art  and  the  relics  of  a  history  rich  in 
achievement.  The  whole  is  made  up  of  many  small  parts,  each 
detail  being  carefully  and  artistically  planned,  and  the  com- 
pleted work  blending  into  a  never-to-be-forgotten  ])icture  of 
beauty.  But  our  play-day  of  sightseeing  is  over,  and  we  must 
again  take  up  the  trend  of  our  more  serious  woi-k. 


NO'l'ltK    I) AMI-: 


IX 
IN   THE   BATTLE   ZONE 

(CHATEAU-THEIRRY) 

TT  is  the  i)iii-po8e  of  the  Avriter,  in  telliniz-  this  story  of  oui-  or- 
ganization, to  weave  in  a  small  portion  coverinu-  the  move- 
ment of  the  American  Army,  that  the  reader  may  have,  briefly, 
an  idea  as  to  the  general  plan.  It  is  well  to  recall  at  this  time 
tile  maniiei-  in  which  a  regiment  of  the  1st  Division  liad  dem- 
onstratetl  its  skill  and  al)ility  in  taking  the  town  of  Cantigny. 
Within  forty-eight  honrs  after  their  snccess,  not  only  the  whole 
'2nd  Division,  hut  tlie  'Avd  Division,  had  received  orders  and 
were  on  the  way  with  all  possil)le  speed  to  Chateau-Thierry  to 
stem  the  (lerman  tide  which  was  threatening  to  In-eak  across 
the  ]Marne  and  on  to  Paris.  The  first  American  uint  to  meet 
the  German  offensive  was  the  7th  ^Machine  Gun  Battalion  of 
the  3rd  Division.  After  being  more  than  twenty-four  hours  on 
the  road,  two  companies  of  this  unit  reached  Chateau-Thierry 
on  the  afternoon  of  ]\Iay  31st  and  immediately  went  into  action. 
They  helped  the  French  stop  the  fierce  effort  which  the  Ger- 
mans were  making  to  cross  the  river,  and  until  tlie  (Jermans 
retreated  in  July  there  were  machine  gunners  of  this  Division 
holding  the  river-crossing  at  Chateau-Thierry.  The  i-emaindei- 
of  the  3rd  Division  and  the  2nd  Division  came  up  into  line  and 
in  the  early  days  of  June  were  face  to  face  with  the  Germans 
along  a  considei'able  front  iuclndiug  Helleau  Wood  and  Hour- 
esclies  village. 

The  figliting  of  tlie  2nd  and  -U'd  Division  had  confii-med 
what  the  1st  Division  had  accomplished  at  Cantigny.  The 
American  resistance  and  fighting  (pialities  gave  new  courage 
to  the  French,  strengthened  the  allied  cause,  led  up  to  the  great 
offensive  of  the  allies  which  started  on  rlnly  18tli,  t-nding  with 
the  reduction  of  the  Chateau-Thierry  salient  and  tlw  German 
retreat  to  the  Vesle. 

Our  oi-ganization   i-earlied    La    Kcrle,   which    was  the   licad- 


IN  THE  BATTLE  ZONE  91 

(luarters  of  the  then  forming  First  Army,  on  July  29th.  We 
immediately  be^ian  installation  of  switchboard  and  other  equip- 
ment to  eare  for  a  large  headquarters.  Also  began  surveying, 
staking  and  digging  holes  for  a  toll  line  from  La  Ferte  to 
Chateau-Thierry.  Early  in  August  a  detachment  of  one  officer 
and  eighteen  men  was  moved  to  Chateau-Thierry  for  purpose 
of  making  switchboard  installation  and  installing  telegraph  sta- 
tion. On  August  6th  the  l)alance  of  one  company  was  moved 
to  Chateau-Thierry  and  they  were  engaged  in  the  installation 
of  telephones  there,  and  the  building  and  maintaining  of  lines 
to  1st  and  3rd  Corps  headquarters.  On  August  9th  Company 
E  and  Headquarters  moved  to  Chateau-Thierry,  and  at  once  en- 
gaged in  surveying  and  laying  out  contemplated  toll  line 
routes  from  Chateau-Thierry  north  to  Fare-en-Tardenois  and 
Coulonge.  Part  of  the  plan  involved  using  abandoned  German 
pole  lines  in  this  territory  and  French  lead  along  railroad 
from  Chateau-Thierry  to  Armentieres.  However,  just  as  this 
work  was  under  way,  orders  were  received  to  move  entire  Bat- 
talion to  Neufchateau.  This  move  consumed  two  days  and 
was  part  of  the  great  troop  movement  to  the  Toul  sector  in 
preparation  for  the  8t.  ]\Iihiel  offensive.  Our  rate  of  speed  was 
rather  slow  as  we  had  to  move  along  in  our  designated  place 
in  the  line  of  march.  The  roacis  were  .iammed  with  every 
imaginable  kind  of  motor  vehicle,  and  the  whole  train  would 
have  to  stop  frequently  owing  to  a  traffic  .jam  somewhere 
ahead.  The  first  part  of  tlie  journey  took  us  along  the  recent 
battle  front  and  we  saw  evidences  on  every  hand  of  the  great 
struggle  which  had  been  made  in  driving  the  Hun  from  this 
salient.  In  the  afternoon  we  passed  through  the  town  of 
Chalons-sur-Marne  and  that  evening  stopped  at  a  small  village 
called  ]Marson  to  eat  supper.  Here  we  met  a  company  of  Pol- 
ish soldiers  who  were  fighting  with  the  French ;  they  were 
mostly  from  America  and  s{)ok'e  English.  They  greeted  us 
with  much  luippiness  and  extended  an  invitation  to  take  coffee 
Avith  them.  Our  journey  was  resumed  after  supper  and  we 
drove  until  11  -.'M)  P.  il.,  stop])iMg  for  Ihe  remainder  of  the  night 
at  a  small  village  called  l^ossesse.  Tlie  next  morning  we  were 
on  the  way  shortly  after  daylight  and  during  the  day  passed 
tlu'ough  a  yevy  pretty  connti-y — not  so  many  villages,  but  nian\' 


92 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  "411TH" 


C.    II.    nOOKE 

CDinmanding-  Company  D  from  June  i".i,  1917,  to  shoi'tly  after  arrival  in 
France  when  was  assig-ned  to  command  Battalion.  Transferred  from  or- 
ganization just  prior  to  outfit  sailing-  for  U.  S.  in  April.  1919,  and  as- 
signed to  duty  as  Chief  Signal  Officer  Base  Section  No.  9.  with  head- 
i|uarters   at  Ant^verp,    Belgium. 

more  farms.  Bar-le-Due  was  i)assed  at  ten  in  the  morning-  and 
a  stop  was  made  at  Hondelaiueourt  for  Inneh;  here  was  our 
first  introduction  to  a  Salvation  Army  Hut  where  they  were 
serving  lemonade  and  hot  doughnuts.  There  was  a  l)aro-ain 
counter  rush  made  for  the  doughnuts ;  the  corned  willy  which 
was  heing  served  by  the  mess  sergeant  went  begging.  In  the 
aftei-noon  we  passed  througli  the  little  village  of  Domi-ery, 
the  birthplace  of  Joan  d'Arc.  and  that  evening  arrived  at  our 
destination  ;  Company  E  and  Headquarters  going  into  camp  in 
a  barracks  just  outside  of  Xeufchateau  and  Company  D  in  an 
air  sciuadroirs  barracks  near  Colombev-les-Belles. 


4  "til     I  I   I   II.  U  \  I'll     U  \  I    I    \  I   l().\,    I'KI.SIDK)     ()l      \I(>\  I  l.  Kl    I  , 


1  I   (  )K  \  I   \.    SI 


X 
ST.  MIHIEL 

'"P^HE  work  of  the  Battalion  during  the  next  month  -was 
varied  and  covered  a  large  area.  The  First  Army  had 
officially  begun  functioning  on  August  10th  and  headquarters 
had  been  established  at  Ligny-en-Barios.  Three  sections  of 
No.  1220  switchboard  were  installed  and  installation  made  of 
the  necessary  sub-station  eciuipment.  A  16-wire  Repp  construc- 
tion lead  was  luiilt  from  Toul  to  Saizerais,  a  distance  of  ap- 
proximately 15  miles ;  a  similar  lead  was  built  from  Void  to 
Ligny,  a  distance  of  approximately  20  miles:  a  32-wire  lead 
was  built  from  Ligny  to  Willeroncourt,  a  distance  of  approx- 
imately five  kilometers;  Avire  was  strung  on  existing  French 
leads  and  existing  American  pole  lines  strengthened  and  addi- 
tional circuits  placed  thereon.  In  fact  a  complete  net-work  for 
the  first  Army  area  was  built  up  from  existing  lines  and  new 
construction  wherever  necessary.  In  addition  to  the  building  of 
lines  and  other  plant,  arrangements  had  been  entered  into 
whereby  our  Battalion  was  to  cover  a  certain  portion  of  the 
First  Army  area  in  the  operation  and  maintenance  of  the  plant. 
This  resulted  in  the  men  being  scattered  over  a  considerable 
territory  with  consequent  difficulties  in  housing  and  feeding 
them.  The  401st  Telegraph  Battalion,  which  was  the  organ- 
ization composed  chiefly  of  employes  from  the  New  England 
Telephone  Company,  had  been  added  to  the  units  of  the  First 
Army  headquarters,  and  worked  alongside  of  us  in  llie  vai-ious 
assignments  of  duty.  During  the  remainch'r  of  August  and  tlie 
early  part  of  September,  while  we  wei'c  busy  cveiw  minute  of 
the  time  in  establishing,  operating  ami  maintaining  tlic  army 
net  briefly  outlined  above,  there  luid  been  preparations  by 
every  unit  of  all  the  services  foi-  tlu'  "l^>ig  Show"  wliich  every- 
one realized  was  coming  off  in  the  near  future.  And  iu)\v  lei 
us  divert  our  attention  and  see  just  what  the  Staff  of  our  newly 
organized  First  Army  was   pi'eparing   for   ihe   enemy.      .M'ler 


94 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  "411TIi'^ 


the  organization  of  the  First  Army,  American  troops  practical- 
ly withdrew  from  active  fighting  for  thirty  days.  There  was 
no  pressing  emergency  calling  our  troops  to  the  front ;  the 
Germans  had  not  recovered  from  their  reverses  at  Soissons,  the 
Champagne,  and  the  ^larne :  the  British  had  lannched  an  of- 
fensive against  Amiens  in  the  North ;  the  French  were  attack- 
ing on  the  Sonth.  With  the  approval  of  the  French  High  Com- 
mand, General  Pershing  was  planning  the  doom  of  St.  ^Mihiel. 
Here  we  will  qnote  from  a  report  covering  the  conditions  sur- 
ronnding  St.  Mihiel,  so  that  we  may  have  a  clearer  under- 
standing : 

"When  the  Germans  took  the  St.  Mihiel  salient  in  1914 


ST.  MIIIIEL  05 

they  established  their  line  with  an  eye  for  advantageous  posi- 
tions which  must  evoke  admiration  from  any  one  who  sees 
them.  In  the  point  of  the  salient  they  held  all  the  hitih  ground 
and  the  French  lines  opposite  were  all  below  them.  The  (ier- 
mans  could  see  practically  every  time  a  French  soldiei-  moved, 
and  their  artillery  could  fire  from  direct  observation.  Almost 
the  only  low  ground  the  Germans  themselves  had  at  the  point 
of  the  salient  was  the  town  of  St.  Mihiel,  and  they  kept  pai-t  of 
the  civil  population  in  St.  Mihiel  so  that  the  French  would  not 
disturb  the  troops  there  by  shelling.  The  side  of  the  salient 
running  north  from  St.  ^Mihiel  crossed  a  range  of  hills  where 
it  .joined  the  main  liattle  line.  On  these  hills  the  (lei-mans  were 
in  a  strong  position  but  as  the  French  were  also  on  the  hills,  the 
German  advantage  here  was  not  so  marked.  The  German  line 
on  the  side  of  the  salient  east  from  St.  Mihiel  ran  along  a  com- 
pletely commanding  line  of  hills  terminating  in  the  isolated 
peak  of  Mont  Sec.  From  there  they  crossed  an  open  valley 
and  then  ran  into  the  hills  again  near  Pont  a  Mousson.  The 
French  positions  in  the  valley  would  not  have  been  so  bad,  if 
it  had  not  been  for  Mont  Sec.  Ask  any  American  who  was 
there,  and  he  will  tell  you  that  you  could  not  wink  your  eye 
without  the  German  observers  on  that  cursed  mountain  seeing 
you.  Every  American  who  ever  served  on  that  part  of  the  line 
has  a  clear  picture  of  ]Mont  Sec  in  his  mind.  A  report  of  G-2 
(Intelligence  Section)  of  the  1st  Corps  gives  a  vivid  picture  of 
the  St.  Mihiel  Salient : 

"The  strength  of  the  enemy  positions  had  for  four  years 
seemed  impregnable,  and  had  withstood  in  1914  and  1915  the 
bloody  attacks  of  the  French  at  Les  Eparges,  Apremont  aiul 
the  Bois  le  Prethre.  Such  names  in  the  early  ])ai-t  of  the  war 
had  vied  in  notoriety  with  IMons,  Yi)res,  Louvain,  Tahur,  \';in- 
quois  and  Verdun.  They  were  symbolic  of  the  days  of  ti'cncli 
warfare,  in  which  oi)posing  trenches  were  often  no  faiMlier 
apart  than  ten  meters;  and  in  which  mining  and  underground 
warfare  played  a  principal  pai't.  They  typified  campaigns  in 
which  100,000  lives  were  sacrificed  to  i)ush  back  a  trench  line 
a  few  hundi-ed  meters." 

"From  Augnst  21st  to  September  I'Jth.  .\mefican  pr('i);ira- 


96  :\I  E:\rORIES  of  the  "411TH" 

tions  for  attack  were  ordered  to  be  made  in  all  secrecy.  The 
troops  were  moved  in  at  iii.ulit  and  hidden  in  the  woods.  Traffic 
on  the  roads  was  ordered  limited  to  the  normal  amonnt ;  the 
artillery  and  the  air  service  were  forbidden  to  show  any  nn- 
nsnal  activity.  The  heavy  artillery  that  was  bronght  np  was 
not  even  alloAved  to  fire  any  registration  shots.  Despite  all 
the  jn-ecantions,  liowever,  it  seems  pretty  certain  that  the  Ger- 
mans kncAv  perfectly  well  that  they  were  going"  to  be  attacked, 
and  prisoners  captnred  before  the  attack  showed  that  they  even 
liad  a  fairly  accurate  idea  of  the  day  it  was  to  be.  Consider- 
ing the  dominating  observation  points  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy  it  was  practically  impossible  for  onr  own  army  to  make 
preparations  nnnoticed.  The  (icrmans  were,  however,  a  good 
deal  pnzzled  by  the  whole  business.  An  officer  on  the  staff  of 
the  German  General  told  an  American  officer  after  the  armis- 
tice that  our  preparations  had  lieen  so  easily  detected  that  the 
German  Staff  luid  decided  that  they  were  a  feint  until  almost 
the  time  of  the  battle.  They  then  ordered  the  troops  to  hold 
the  lines  if  attacked,  l)ut  tliey  seemed  to  have  made  little  prep- 
aration to  do  this,  and  as  they  began  removing  their  heavy  ar- 
tillery they  undoubtedly  weakened  the  morale  of  their  troops. 

"It  rained  hard  on  the  night  of  the  11th  of  Septembei':  it 
had  l)een  raining  hard  for  a  day  or  two ;  slimy  mud  Avas  every- 
where. At  one  in  tlie  morning,  the  (lermans  Avere  awakened  by 
a  terrible  crasli  of  artillery.  For  four  hours  the  shells  dropped 
on  their  trenches  and  dugouts,  on  their  roads  and  battery  ])osi- 
tions.  and  for  that  matter,  everywhere  else.  Particular  atten- 
ion  Avas  paid  to  ^lont  Sec.  It  Avas  deluged  Avith  smoke  shells 
so  that  its  observers  could  not  see  Avhat  Avas  going  on.  Then 
at  five  o'clock  came  the  ban-age  and  the  infantry  attack  on  the 
southern  sector.  Much  of  the  German  Avire  Avas  old  and  a  good 
deal  of  it  A'ery  Ioav.  Some  the  Americans  cut.  some  they  just 
Avalked  over.  According  to  the  habit  Avhich  liotli  sides  had  ac- 
quired, the  forAvard  trenches  Avere  occu])i(Ml  only  by  patrols. 
There  Avas  practically  no  resistance  there.  At  the  next  line  of 
trenches  Avhere  resistance  should  have  developed,  the  artillery 
had  done  so  Avell  that,  in  most  places,  there  Avas  not  much  either. 
Many  Germans  came  out  of  their  dugouts  merely  in  time  to  sur- 
render. 


ST.  .MIIIIEL  97 

"This  was  the  first  battle  uncle)-  Amerieaii  coumiaiul — cer- 
tainly a  most  auspicious  beginninji'.  Our  total  casualties  (in- 
cluding- the  French  troops  involved)  were  about  4,000.  The 
(Jernian  ju-isoners  numbered  14,489  and  44:5  gnus." 

On  the  evening-  of  Septend)er  11th  Company  U  of  oui-  or- 
ganization moved  up  and  camped  just  back  of  the  lines  at 
(Jeronville.  At  daylight  the  next  morning  when  the  offensive 
started,  they  began  the  construction  of  a  sixteen  wire  lead  from 
^loulin  Neuf  forward  to  Rambecourt,  a  distance  of  approxi- 
mately 11  kilometers.  One  circuit  of  this  lead  was  extended 
on  to  Mont  Sec  by  lance  pole  construction,  a  distance  of  ap- 
proximately six  kilometers.  This  Avork  was  done  under  exceed- 
ingly difficult  conditions ;  the  roads  were  blocked  with  traffic 
and  it  w^as  practically  impossible  to  haul  any  of  the  nuiterial  to 
the  route  the  line  was  to  take  on  account  of  the  mud.  It  was, 
therefore,  necessary  to  carry  the  poles,  wire  and  other  material 
by  hand. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  salient  ('om])any  E  had  been  moved 
up  to  Rupt,  a  distance  of  approximately  ten  kilometers  from 
St.  ]\Iihiel,  the  night  before  the  engagement  started.  The  next 
morning  they  began  the  construction  of  seven  circuits  across 
what  had  been  for  four  years  "no  man's  land"  into  St.  ^Fihiel. 
It  happened  that  Major  C.  H.  Moore,  Captain  1).  W.  Scotl. 
Lieutenant  Chas.  W.  Smith  and  ]M.  S.  E.  Jordan  of  our  organ- 
ization were  the  first  Americans  to  enter  St.  ^lihiel  on  the 
morning  of  September  13th.  The  civilians  who  Avere  Icfl  in 
the  tOAvn  A\'ere  absolutely  frantic  with  joy:  yesterday  tliey  were 
prisoners  ;  today  they  were  free.  Tliey  told  many  tales  of  tluur 
long*  exile  during  German  occupancy  and  were  loud  in  theii- 
praise  of  the  Americans,  calling  them  their  deliverei's  and  sav- 
iours; the  food  which  had  been  su])])lied  by  the  American  Re- 
lief associations  had  materiall>'  assisted  thcui.  I^'i-eiich  flags 
long"  buried  in  the  bottom  of  Iruiik's  and  oilier  undisi-ovci-ablc 
places  were  already  displayed  in  almost  cvci-y  window.  On 
the  way  out  of  the  village  the  niciiibt'i-s  of  our  advance  parly 
met  (ienei'al  INu-shing  and  liis  slalT  on  tlu'  way  into  the  newly 
freed  toAvn. 


-   «      fe 


X  OJ    - 


O 


m 


C  <i^ 


c     X     §     <■     I   ?     ^   i  i:  'B 

^        P-        11         ~  •!■  •      7    '5    "c 

%   %   i  I'    l^  ^ 


Z    r.  ^ 


XI 
MEUSE-ARGONNE  (First  Phase) 

AX/'ITIIIX  a  very  few  days  after  the  St.  Mihiel  offensive  l>e- 
gan,  the  eommandinji'  officer  of  our  Battalion  was  "1ii)|)e(l 
off"  to  be  ready  to  move  within  an  hour's  notice,  as  the  head- 
quarters of  the  First  Army  Avas  <>'oinii-  to  be  ehan^ied  vci-y  shoi-l- 
ly.  On  Sept.  17th  we  moved  to  Lemmes,  a  little  town  aboul  fif- 
teen kilometers  north  of  Souilly  on  the  Verdun  road.  Kuniors 
were  flying  thick  and  fast  that  anothei-  "show"  was  to  l)e  pull- 
ed off,  and  we  began  at  once  preparing  another  net  to  handb' 
the  communications  of  the  First  Army  whose  new  hcachiuarters 
was  to  be  Souilly.  It  had  t)een  decided  that  we  wouhl  use,  as 
far  as  possible,  the  lines  and  equij^ment  of  the  Fi-ench  which 
were  already  in  j^lace,  Souilly  having  formerly  been  one  of  tlieii- 
Army  heachpiai'tei's.  However,  this  work  necessitated  a  great 
deal  of  re-arranging  and  patching  up  of  the  French  nel  to  nud<e 
it  a  satisfactory  system  for  the  handling  of  our  heavy  traffic-. 
American  switchboards  were  installed  at  many  small  liead- 
(piarters,  additional  telephones  installed,  telegraph  stations 
opened.  It  was  also  necessary  to  place  telephone  operatoi-s 
alongside  the  French  operators  to  learn  the  location  of  the 
various  lines,  switchboai'ds,  etc.  The  reader  will  please  keej) 
in  mind  that  all  this  work  had  to  be  acc()mplished  in  eight  or 
nine  days,  as  the  offensive  was  scheduled  to  start  on  Sept.  "Jlitli. 
After  Avhipping  the  lines  of  communication  into  shape,  ()|)erat- 
ing  crews  and  maintenance  crews  were  ])laced  at  the  vai'ious 
headquarters  and  as  much  precaution  taken  as  possible  lor 
evei-ything  to  be  in  shape  when  the  heavy  load  came. 

When  First  Army  liea(l(piar-ters  hatl  been  established  at 
Ligny  ])i'evious  to  the  St.  .Mihiel  operation  the  first  women 
tele|)hone  0[)erators  had  been  brought  forward  fi'om  Xeiif- 
chateau  and  other  j)oints  to  haiulie  the  Fii'st  .\rmy  s\\  it  rhbonrd. 
They  had  proven  theii-  worth  aiul  when  the  .\rmy  moxcd  to 
Souilly  they  canu'  also;  in  fact   they  had   bei-oiiie  iiidispeiisible. 


100 


:^rEMOKiEs  OF  THE  ••4nTir" 


AVliat  it  meant  to  liavf  our  Anierican  girls  over  in  France,  op- 
erating an  American  telei)hone  system,  bnilt  by  Americans,  for 
the  vise  of  American  troops,  may  be  inferred  from  the  foUow- 
ing  incident :  A  very  busy  officer  lifted  his  receiver  to  place 
a  call,  and  when  he  heard  "Number  please?"  in  the  old  famil- 


GHACE   I).    HWKER 

Chief  Operator,  First  Army  Headquarters  during-  St. 
Mihiel  and  Meuse-Arg-onne  offensives.  It  was  due  in  a  great 
measure  to  her  efficiency  tliat  tlie  operation  of  tlie  exchange 
was  so  well  liandled.  One  of  very  few  women  in  any  of  tlie 
services  wlio  received  the  D.  S.  M.  which  was  awarded  to 
her  at  Coblenz  where  she  was  acting  as  Chief  Operator  after 
the  Armistice.  Lieutenant-General  Liggett  personally  made 
the  award,  the  occasion  being  made  one  of  much  ceremony. 
Miss  Banker's  home  address  i.s  227  Van  Houten  Ave.,  Passaic, 
New  Jersey. 


MErSE-AK(;()XXE  101 

iar  way,  he  shouted,  "Tlianlv  (Jod  you  ai-c  heiT  at  hist,"  so 
loudly  aud  devoutly  that  everybody  witliiii  hcai-iiii:  had  a 
hearty  laugh,  includiug  the  operator  at  the  other  cud  of  the 
wire.  Many  complimentary  things  have  been  said  about  the 
work  of  the  young  lady  operators,  and  General  Ivussel,  Chief 
Signal  Officer  of  the  A.  E.  F.,  in  writing  of  them  the  day  after 
the  armistice,  made  tlie  following  statement: 

"The  bringing  of  women  telephone  operators  to  France 
for  service  with  the  American  Expeditionary  Forces,  to  i)artici- 
pate  in  active  war  service,  had  no  precedent,  and  for  this  reason 
the  experiment  was  watched  with  uiuisual  interest.  It  pleases 
me  a  great  deal  to  say  that  by  your  ability,  efficiency,  devotion 
to  duty,  and  irreproachable  and  businesslike  conduct  of  your 
affairs,  personal  and  official,  you  have  not  only  justified  the 
action  taken  in  assembling  you,  but  have  set  a  stancUird  of  ex- 
cellence which  could  hardly  be  improved  upon  and  which  has 
l)een  responsible,  in  no  snudl  measure,  for  the  success  of  our 
system  of  local  and  long  distance  telephone  communication."* 

We  had  opportunity  of  observing  the  work  of  the  young 
ladies  at  First  Army  headquarters,  and  were  all  unanimous  in 
the  opinion  that  without  their  assistance  it  would  have  been 
practically  impossible  to  have  taken  over  the  French  net  and 
made  it  answer  the  purpose  of  caring  for  our  communications. 
In  addition  to  all  of  them  being  thoroughly  trained  telephone 
operators,  they  were  all  fluent  in  speaking  the  French  lan- 
guage, which  was  of  immeasureable  and  indispensible  value. 

And  while  speaking  of  teleplione  oi)erators,  tluM'e  is  aiu)tlier 
group  of  signal  corps  men  who  have  sometimes  been  overlooked 
when  achievements  have  been  discussed — the  men  who  acted  as 
telephone  operators  of  small  switchboards  scattered  here  and 
there  from  the  Base  Hospital  to  the  front  line  ti'ciich.  Forced 
oftentimes  to  work  under  extremely  uncomfoi'tahh'  sui-roiuid- 
ings — perhaps  in  a  dugout  with  just  enough  room  lo  nio\-e.  ami 
only  candle  light  to  work  by — he  did  his  work  day  in  and  (la\' 
out  with  a  degi'ee  of  efficiency  second  to  inme.  ()!'  course  he 
growled  about  doing  "gii'ls"  woi-k""  as  he  (•alle<l  it,  and  al- 
ways seized  the  first  opitortunity  to  get  out  of  such  detail; 
lU'vertheless  he  did  a  good  jol). 


1.  Camp    Juvin. 

2.  Road  near  where  Hicke>-  was  wounded. 

o.  French  artillery   nioving-  through   La   Ferte. 

4.  On   guard. 


.MHrsH-AR(;()XXE  103 

Thi'  .Meiise-Ai'^oimc  l)attle.  fouiiiit  hy  our  Fii'sl  Ai-iiiy, 
was  the  largest  battle  in  American  history.  It  was  a  part  of 
the  great  allied  offensive  from  the  sea  to  Switzerland  which 
began  on  the  morning  of  the  26th  of  September,  1918,  During 
the  time  from  September  13th  to  about  September  21st  more 
than  300,000  American  troops  had  been  moved  from  the  rest 
areas,  from  the  base  ports,  from  St.  ]\Iihiel  and  other  places  to 
the  front  between  Verdun  and  the  western  rim  of  the  Argonne 
forest.  These  troops  were  moved  for  the  most  part  by  means 
of  motor  trucks.  Unless  one  has  actually  M-itnessed  a  big  troop 
movement  of  this  kind,  little  conception  can  be  had  of  just 
what  it  means.  It  reciuires  approximately  one  thousand  trucks 
to  move  the  men  of  an  American  Division,  allowing  twenty-four 
men  to  a  truck  which  was  the  average  numl)er  usually  carried. 
There  were  fifteen  divisions  moving  into  this  area,  and  as  one 
division  takes  up  about  four  miles  of  road,  not  counting  their 
own  artillery,  sui)ply.  ammunition,  engineer  trains,  etc.,  there 
was  upwards  of  sixty  miles  of  road  occupied  in  the  movement  if 
all  liad  been  under  way  at  one  time.  It  will  be  kept  in  mind 
also  that  a  large  movement  of  this  kind  is  fui'ther  complicated 
by  the  necessity  of  moving  only  during  the  night  as  the  terri- 
tory inunediately  back  of  the  lines  is  approached;  the  success 
of  the  operation  depending  in  a  very  large  measure  upon  the 
degree  of  secrecy  maintained. 

'■  i*hysically  and  artificially  the  4:0  kilometei-  front  which 
the  Amei'ican  Army  was  to  attack  was  al)out  the  most  difficult 
point  on  the  western  fi'ont.  The  Argonne  Forest  had  been  con- 
sidered impregnable  for  four  years.  We  accepted  this  verdict, 
also,  for  the  plan  of  battle  was  for  the  French  to  go  upon  Ihc 
west  of  it  while  our  ai-uiy  went  up  east  of  it,  and  by  outflank- 
ing il,  I'eiidei'  it  untenable.  Tlie  plan  was  iu)t  to  take  i1  1»\'  di- 
rect assault.  It  is  a  thick  growth  very  much  i-eseiuhliiig  the 
Wilderness  in  Virginia,  only  the  Wildei-iiess  is  fairly  level 
while  the  Argouju-  is  full  of  steej)  hills  nud  ravines.  The  -irowih 
is  like  the  Wilderness,  the  lack  of  roads  is  the  same,  and  the 
character  of  the  few  roads  that  exist  is  jiol  vei-y  diffei-ent.  .\ 
fair  picture  of  the  Ai'gonue  does  not  incliule  the  iteautiful  roads 
of  France. 


104 


:\rK.Mo|,'fKS  «>K  TIIK  ■•  411  Til 


TCLtPHONE     LlNtS     5ulLT     By  411  — 

Tel.Bn-  Argonne-Meuse:  Drivel 


LCOEND  ^      „ 

mwm^  Li^rs  cor^f*LCTe:Ly  bu/lt  &y  4//—    7el.  Q^. 

/P-^/t.  ffOAlXS 


Aei'oss  iIk'  Vfil!<'.\'  of  the  Aii'c  from  tlic  Ariioimc  is  aiiotlici' 
•woods  l»o;is1  iiiij-  half  a  do/en  iiaiin's  IhiI  no  roads  riiiiiiinu'  north 
in  ihc  dii-c'-iion  we  wanted  io  <_:<).  These  wonTs  w.-vc  also  a  con- 
sidcT'ablc  irnniediate  ohsta'de.  i<'i'oiii  ihes:'  woods  to  thi-  .Mciise 
tlie  (lernian  lines  wyv^.-  in  the  open  Imt  were  slroniily  phieed  on 
the  hilfs.  <)n  the  whoh'  'I'l  mih-  front  thece  wei'e  only  three 
main  north  and  south  roads  one  np  the  Aii'e  \'alley.  (tne  from 
Esiies  to  Montfaneon,  whiidi  was  vci'\'  p(»or.  and  one  aloiiii' 
the  MtMise  which  coidd  he  under  fire  fi-om  the  other  hank  of 
the  river,  l^esides  these  lhi-t-e  roads,  one  snh.ject  to  shellfire, 
there  was  one  from  I'.et  hineonrt  to  Montfaii<-(»ii,  hnt  it  went 
diafronally  aeross  1he  direction  of  onr  altaid-:,  it  crossed  tlie 
spheres  of  three  diffei'ent  di\isions  \\hi(di  nunh'  its  use  soiiie- 
Avliat  eompl  iejited.     ()n  the  map  also  there  are  sn(di  roads  indi- 


.Mi:i  si:  AUM.oxM'. 


10.-) 


i-;it('(l  ;i^  llic  I'lic  \'\o\\\  .\\()iM>iirl  to  N'crv.  lull  tlicy  were  ton 
|utor  iJis  llic  llllli  li'iinicd  >  \o  lie  nl'  imicli  lu'lp.  AccordiiiL;'  to 
llicorv  f;icli  (li\isioii  in  (■(iiiil>;ii  iiCi'ils  a  road  jo  itsdl'.  We  had 
nine  di\isi(ins  in  line;  our  ronniinnirat  ions,  t  luM-crorc.  shoidd 
lia\i'  had  nine  roads  I'aralh'l  to  onr  adxain-r. 

'Thf  phin  of  allark  was  as  I'oMows:  The  \  ('orps  was  to 
dri\('  straight  np  the  nii(MK"  oi'  the  connti'v  l\  inu  Itrtwci'n  ihc 
Ai'iionnc  and  the  .Mcnsc.  Il  was  to  he  ihr  jioinl  i^\'  altark.  Thi- 
1st  Coi'ps  on  ils  h'l'l  was  !o  Urr\)  the  (icrnians  luisv  in  the  Ar 
L^'onnc  and  lo  adxaiif,'  np  the  Aire  \'alh'_\  io  Ivt'cp  ni  luui-h  w  ith 
ihc  main  ailacU,  The  'Ird  ('orps.  on  the  rn.ihl,  was  to  cover  th(> 
Ici'rilorv   lu'lwccn   ihc   niani  allark   and    tin'   .Mcnsc. 

When  Ihc  allack  started,  llic  ls|  Corps  opposite  the  Ar 
L^-onin-  and  the  Aire  \'aHe_\  had  in  line  two  divisions  with  e\ 
perienee,  the  77lh  and  I'Slh,  and  one  ureen  division,  the  :i.">th. 
The  .">!  h  ( 'orps  in  the  eentei'  had  three  Ljreen  divisions  in  line, 
the  illsl,  the  ;i7lh  and  the  7''th.  The  :\vi\  Corps  on  ih.'  ri'jht  had 
one  untried  division,  the  :>:ird,  the  Sdth.  whieh  had  liad  a  little 
riuhtini;'  with  the  A  nsl  I'a  I  ians,  and  one  divisiioi,  the  Ith.  thai 
had  had  experienee  on  the  N'esle.  The  Isl,  I'nd.  :ird,  L'tith,  :?'_'iul. 
rjiid.  the  uiosj  Irii'd  divisions,  were  in  reserve  or  ioined  the 
h'irst    Arniv    lalei'   in    the   ri'_;hl. 

Six  onl  of  the  inne  divisions  initially  atlaekui'.;  had  never 
111  en  in  a  real  hatth'  hel^nc.  The  exeru'nee  (d'  the  corps  stalls 
v\as  vcrv  limited:  the  armv  was  simicwhal  laekio'.;  in  traininL;' 
and  experience.  It  was  also  laidviiii;  in  the  appliances  of  war, 
I'appilv  this  did  not  appiv  to  unns,  (>nr  armv  hail  plenty  of 
■jnns  lor  the  nnlial  homha  rd  nieni  and  alter  that  mere  than 
eonid  he  lianled  lhi-(niL;li  the  eonntry.  Willi  a  verv  lew  ex 
eeptions  all  o\'  oiii'  uiins  eaiiie  from  the  h'reneh,  I  p  to  the  lime 
t  he  war  ended  |irael  ie;i  I  l,v  no  muis  (d'  A  nu-riean  make  had  reaeli 
ed   t  he   I'ronl , 

We  were,  then,  in  iiiaiiv  ways  somewhat  lai'kiii"  in  exper 
ieiiee  and  eipii|imenl.  <  >n  llie  oilier  hand  we  had  iinmhers  and 
a  t  reiiiendoiis  olTeiisive  sjiiril  'the  will  to  vielmv  whieh  the 
(ierman  military  writers  used  In  he  so  I'mid  (d'  wriliii"  ahniil. 
This  was  as  (dia  rael  erisi  ie  (if  I  hi'  ima'.rnial  ion  and  eoidideiiee  ol 
llie  command   as  it    was  the   iTjIitiiii;  spirit    (d'  I  he   troops.      This 


m^-:^*^jdit  '^^&Mr^4ri&^^. 


1.  Where  kitchen  was  the  night  Itefore. 

2.  Ruins   Vaux. 
'.].      Near   Cheppy. 


4.  Ruins   Chateau-Thierry. 

5.  Ruins   Dun   sur  Meuse. 

6.  Avac'duvi   Ruins. 


MErSK-AJ{(i()XXK  107 

Ar.iionne-^Ieuse  l)att]e  had  a  time  limit  to  it.  Its  object  must 
he  yained  hefore  the  main  Oermaii  ai-mies  liad  reti-eated  from 
the  hi"'  salient  in  France.  It  was  a  (juestion  of  breakino'  every 
German  line  on  that  fi'oiit  quickly  and  ending  the  wai-  in  1!)1S. 
or  fighting  another  year,  and  it  is  fortunate  "we  liad  a  (Gen- 
eral and  an  Army  that  were  willing  to  push  the  fighting,  pay 
the  price  and  finish  the  wai'. "'  "To  Iloboken  or  hell  before 
Christmas." 

On  !^epteml)er  24th  our  Battalion  l)egan  the  construction 
of  a  ten  wire  lead  from  Bois  P'oucheres  through  Recieourt  in  a 
northwesterly  direction  to  the  edge  of  the  Forest  de  Hesse,  and 
l)y  working  every  available  minute  of  daylight,  hauling  and 
distributing  material  at  night,  had  completed  the  lead  to  the 
edge  of  the  forest  which  Avas  just  behind  the  German  front 
lines  during  the  night  of  the  25th.  This  lead  was  to  constitute 
the  main  axis  of  eomnnmication  with  First  Army  headcpiarters 
as  the  Corps  headiinarters  advanced.  That  night  Company  D 
slept  under  their  camouflaged  trucks  in  the  edge  of  the  forest 
and  the  next  morning  shortly  after  the  infantry  "went  ov(M'  the 
top,"  was  busily  engaged  in  carrying  the  lead  forward  throuuh 
the  Avoods  in  the  direction  of  Avocourt.  As  a  tem]iorary 
measui'e,  cross  arms  were  attached  to  trees  through  this  foresi 
and  insulated  wire  used.  Reference  has  l)een  made  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  roads  from  Avocourt  to  ^lontfaucon  and  Very: 
for  the  first  feAv  days  they  Avere  al)solutely  impassable  for  any- 
thing exce])t  the  vei'y  liglitcst  vehicles.  During  the  day  of 
September  2(jth  Ave  Avere  able  to  haul  some  of  our  line  matei'ial 
and  poles  and  establish  a  dum]>  at  Avocourt,  but  from  that 
point  on  to  Montfaueon,  Avhere  the  first  SAvitching  point  Avas 
to  be  established,  every  pound  of  matei-ial  including  the  poles 
had  to  be  cari'ied  on  the  backs  of  soldiers.  The  building  of  this 
lead  across  the  old  "no-man's  land"  north  of  .\vocour1. 
through  the  Forest  de  Montfaueon  1o  the  " waler-liole"  south 
of  ^lontfaucon,  constituted  a  task  Avliidi  tried  our  men  to  the 
vei-y  limit  of  i)hysical  endurance.  Pei-forming  the  very  hardest 
kind  of  woi'k  in  liii^ging  matei'ials  lont:'  distances  ovei-  shell  toi-n 
fields  and  woods  heavy  with  mud  and  watiM",  covered  with  al- 
most   contiinial    rain,    sle<'|)ing    in    I'ecently    e\acua1e(i    (Jerinan 


1.  Test  station    near   front.  :j.      Repairing-    truck. 

2.  Hustling-   tlieni   in    at   Li.s<-ny.  4.      Waiting   for    •■cliow." 

5.      Camp   Imacourt. 


:\rEi:sE-ARGONNp:  109 

duuouts  filtliy  with  vci-iiiin  ;nul  rats,  liviiiii'  on  scant  food  owiiii;' 
to  difficulty  in  brinying  up  supplies,  subject  to  scatterin<i'  shell 
fire  in  the  day  time  and  air  raids  at  iiight,  these  men  accom- 
plished I'esults  worthy  enough  to  be  chronicled  alongside  of  the 
many  brilliant  exploits  further  to  the  front  in  that  long-  battle. 

Orders  had  been  received  that  this  lead  to  the  "water- 
hole"'  nmst  be  finished  on  October  2nd:  its  need  being  most  im- 
perative. About  dusk  in  the  closing  hours  of  that  date  our  men 
were  strung  out  along  the  cluttered,  traffic  congested  road 
through  the  forest,  along  Avhieh  the  circuits  were  being  con- 
structed. Some  were  pulling  up  slack,  some  w^ere  on  tops  of 
poles  "tying  in/'  others  distributing  material  from  the  trucks, 
when  suddenly  the  "put,  put,  put"  of  machine  guns  was  heard 
and  almost  before  any  one  of  the  thousands  of  soldiers  scatter- 
ed along  the  road  and  all  over  the  ad.joining  area  realized  what 
was  happening,  a  nund)er  of  German  planes  had  swooped  dowji 
on  a  "straffing"  expedition.  There  was  a  hustle  for  cover,  the 
anti-aircraft  guns  turned  loose  and  everyone  yvith  any.  kind  of 
a  w^eapon  took  a  shot  at  the  marauders.  It  w-as  quickly  over, 
and  the  first  thought  of  the  writer  who  happened  to  be  stand- 
ing at  the  "criss-cross  roads"  was  "surely  our  former  good  luck 
will  be  broken  and  some  of  our  men  will  be  hit."  Sure  enough, 
in  a  few  minutes  a  couple  of  our  boys  were  seen  coming  down 
the  road  bearing  a  stretcher  carrying  "Jerry"  Hurley.  He  had 
been  hit  by  a  bullet  w^hich  pierced  his  leg  just  below  the  knee, 
luckily  missing  the  bone.  The  wound  was  cpiiekly  dressed  and 
"Jerry"  Avas  sent  back  to  our  headquarters  in  our  own  P>at- 
talion  ambulance.  He  is  the  only  man  in  our  organization  who 
was  wounded  in  action  and  therefore  entitled  to  wear  a  wound 
chevron.  Uui'ing  his  convalescence  and  evei'  aftei-  he  was  the 
most  envied  man  in  the  outfit. 

Reference  has  been  made  a  number  of  times  to  the  "watei- 
hole."  This  was  located  just  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  south  of 
]\rontfaucon.  A  natu'ral  spring  of  clear,  eold  wat(M-  existed  here 
and  the  Germans  had  built  a  small  concrete  building  over  the 
same,  installing  a  gasoline  pumping  station.  We  had  pre- 
empted this  on  the  first  day  of  the  drive  as  the  location  for 
installation  of  our  switchint:-  station.     It  conlaincd  facilities  for 


no 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  '^4nTn" 


cooking,  and  the  men  who  were  stationed  there  later  operating 
the  switchboard  and  maintaining  the  lines  were  envied  as  hav- 
ing most  Inxnrious,  comfortable  ([iiarters,  althongh  they  only 
bad  a  concrete  floor  for  a  bed.  It  became  the  rendezvous  of 
all  signal  corps  men  passing  to  and  fro,  and  liad  the  reputation 
of  never  refusing  a  "hand-out"  as  long  as  there  was  anything 
in  the  larder  or  any  chance  of  foraging. 

Iipon  the  completion  of 
the  lead  to  the  "water- 
hole"  we  immediately  be- 
gan the  construction  o^'  a 
sixteen  wire  Repp  con- 
struction lead  from  Very 
to  Ivoiry,  which  was  to 
fit  in  with  the  1st  Corps 
lead  being  built  from  the 
left  thi-ough  ('heppy. 
This  line  was  liuilt  along 
the  side  of  the  ridge  ex- 
tending between  the  two 
towns.  The  locality  Avas 
yet  under  observation  by 
the  German  balloons  and 
observation  posts  a  n  d 
there  was  almost  daily 
shell  fire,  a  battery  of 
"75's"  being  located  at 
the  foot  of  one  of  the  hills 
in  front  of  Very.  It  was 
Avhile  doing  this  work 
that  the  saddest  day  in 
o  u  r  Battalion  history 
came.  While  engaged  in 
digging  holes  for  the  pole 
line,  "Shorty"  Barker  of 
our  outfit  and  Sergeant 
Singleton  of  the  319th 
Field     Signal     Battalion 


V.    •'•SHOHTV"    ItAKKKIi 

Private  l.st  Class  with  Company  D; 
Ijronioted  to  Chauffeur  working'  as  a 
Hneman  KiUed  in  action  by  explosion 
of  German  "77"  shell  October  25,  1918, 
while  engaged  in  building  telephone 
line  near  Very,  France,  during  Meuse- 
Argonne  offensive.  Buried  in  cemetery 
neara  Cheppy,  France,  by  liis  comrades. 
Later  body  was  removed  to  military 
cemetery  near  Romagne,  France. 


MErsE-Aia;oxNE  in 

'\>li()  was  attaclu'd  lo  iis  for  duty,  were  iuslatilly  killed 
by  the  explosion  of  a  "77""  shell.  '"Siioi-ty"  had  eiideai-ed 
himself  to  every  officer  and  man  in  the  oruani/at  ion  by  his 
(|niet,  nnassuinin<z-  niannei'  and  always  eayer  williii^iiess  to  do 
his  fnll  duty  no  inattei-  where  it  might  be.  For  him  to  be  taken 
away  from  us  in  this  sudden,  unexpected  nniiinei-  was  a  terrible 
shock  to  us  all  :  and  yet  everyone  realized  that  auy  da\-  aii\-  one 
of  ns  miiiht  be  called  upon  to  make  the  same  sn[)reme  sacrifice. 
Onr  dear  comrade  was  bui-ied  in  the  little  cemetei'v  not  far  from 
where  he  .uave  his  life  to  his  country,  and  it  was  a  sad  crowd 
of  men  who  ayain  took  np  the  toil  of  onr  daily  life.  Lieuten- 
ant John  L.  Bnrns,  who  was  in  command  of  this  detachnu'iit. 
was  knocked  down  by  the  force  of  the  same  exi)losion  but  was 
not  injnred.  All  of  the  men  comprising'  this  detachnn'nt  were 
recommended  for  especially  meritorious  and  distinguished  serv- 
ice hy  the  Commanding  Officer  of  the  411th.  l)nt  no  awards 
were  ever  inade,  and  like  many  other  heroic  deeds,  their  only 
reward  mnst  be  the  fond  memory  of  their  comrades  who  know 
of  their  bravery  and  duty  well  done. 

During  the  time  that  this  construction  work  was  being 
done  in  the  forAvai'd  areas  the  remainder  of  the  Battalion  was 
scattered  over  the  Fii'st  Army  area,  installing  swit(dd)oai-ds, 
iMinning  temporary  lines  to  ammunition  dumps,  air  fields,  etc.. 
providing  circuits  to  connect  with  existing  Frencdi  lines,  oper- 
ation and  maintenance  of  telephone  and  telegraph  stations. 

As  the  American  front  line  moved  forward,  we  began  the 
continuation  of  the  main  Army  axis  from  the  "water  hole"  or 
test  box  No.  5  to  Epinonville,  via  Iviory  in  general  northwest- 
erly direction  of  Oesnes  and  Landres  St.  George.  At  a  jtoint 
just  beyond  the  intersection  of  the  lead  and  the  main  ("hari)en- 
try-RomagiK^  road,  the  utilization  of  an  existing  Boche  ])ole 
line  l)egan,  and  dui'ing  the  I'emainder  of  the  time  that  this  axis 
was  being  extended  Ave  were  constantly  availiiiL;-  om'sel\-es  of 
the  use  of  ahandoned  (iei-man  plants. 

It  is  not  the  pui'pose  of  this  narrative  lo  tell  much  in  de- 
tail the  movenn-nts  of  the  various  ninls  of  the  First  .\riii\  dur- 
ing those  first  two  weeks  of  the  .\i-goniH'-Meuse  oireiisixf;  to 
do  so  would  recpure  volumes,  ami  oui-  I'caders  who  participated 
Avill   desire   to  studv  the   whole   s1oi-\-   from    the   many    histories 


1.  Camp   (in   A'(ii(l-I.isn>-   line. 

2.  As   evening   shadows   fall. 

3.  Ruined   French   tank. 


4.      Moving'. 

.").      Romagne. 

II.      In  a  sliell  hole. 


.MKrsE-APv(;()X.\E 


113 


which  will  be  written.  However,  we  do  desii-e  to  keep  in  iiiiiul 
the  general  movement  of  onr  army  durinu'  these  last  weeks. 
On  the  Kith  of  October  the  Kriemhilde  defense  had  l)een 
reached  all  aloni:-  the  line  from  the  Argonne  to  the  Mense.  That 
defense  was  two  and  a  half  miles  in  depth:  it  took  our  Army 
tAventy  days  to  go  that  short  distance.  The  hills  around  Ro- 
magne,  Bantheville  and  Landres-St.  George  were  the  l)ackbone 
of  the  German  resistance.  They  were  fighting  to  save  their 
main  line  of  communications,  the  fonr  track  raili'oad  through 
]\Iezieres  over  which  the  men,  supplies  and  annnunitions  for  a 
large  part  of  the  German  Armies  in  France  had  to  be  carried. 
When  the  -SOth  of  October  came  Ave  had  worn  thi-(»ugli  the  (ier- 
man  Kriendiilde  defenses  in  many  places  and  in  some  places 
they  still  held  the  last  fringe  of  them.  Hut  the  enemy  knew 
that  they  could  not  cling  to  the  last  defenses  and  that  there 
was  no  other  line  l)ehind  them  that  could  save  the  precious 
railroad.  They  also  i)rol)ably  realized  that  the  comi)arative 
({uiet  of  the  last  days  '>f  Octol)er  was  pi'eparatory  to  another 
genei-al  attack.  It  Avas  during  these  days  that  Ave  first  began 
to  hear  I'umors  of  an  armistice,  and  Avliile  all  were  tii'ed  of  the 
Avar's  daily  grind.  Ave  kncAv  the  enemy  Avere  ready  to  be  on 
the  I'un  anil  eveiy  mother's  son  Avas  keyed  up  to  give  him  a 
Liood  li(d\ins'. 


»JT.  AT  BIN 


1.  Where   ■•Push"  helped. 

2.  Void-I^igny    line. 

3.  Washing-   mess   kits. 


-t.      "SOS"   foi'  Repp  materiaal. 

.5.      Helping  Poilus   move   out. 

6.      "Get  the   top  arm   through   tonight. 


XII 
MEUSE-ARGONNE   (Second  Phase) 

'"T'HE  second  phase  of  the  l)att!e  of  the  Argonne  was  sched- 
ided  to  start  on  November  1st.  Our  organization  in  conjunc- 
tion with  other  Signal  Corps  troops  of  the  First  Army  liead- 
qnarters  had  been  working  night  and  day  to  be  in  readiness. 
An  incident  which  might  have  l)een  very  disastrous  occurred 
the  night  before  the  new  offensive  was  to  start — a  fire  at  First 
Army  Headquarters.  A  number  of  the  l)uildings  in  which  im- 
portant fStaff  headquarters  were  located  burned  to  the  ground. 
Fortunately,  however,  the  building  in  Avhich  our  excliange  was 
located  Avas  saved.  All  of  the  available  men  were  called  in  from 
all  directions  and  by  working  incessantly  all  night,  temporary 
lines  Avere  run  into  the  switchboard,  and  while  a  great  deal  of 
confusion  resulted,  the  lieavy  load  was  handled  Avithout  api)re- 
ciable  delay. 

The  race  of  the  enemy  for  his  last  line  of  raili'oad  connnun- 
ication  began  when  our  troops  "jumped  off"  on  the  morning 
of  November  1st,  and,  indeed,  it  was  a  race.  The  German  re- 
sistance of  the  last  thirty  days  had  disappeared  and  they  could 
not  stop  the  allied  advance.  Yet,  their  retreat  Avas  Avell  con- 
ducted, even  though  rapid,  and  a  very  stubborn  rear-guard  re- 
sistance Avas  maintained. 

During  these  last  eleven  days  of  the  "push"  just  before 
the  Armistice,  our  Battalion  Avas  busily  engaged  in  extending 
the  center  axis  of  communication  forAvard  in  the  direction  of 
Buzzancy  and  Nouart.  It  Avill  l)e  i-ecailed  by  the  readei-  that 
there  was  a  sudden  SAvitch  in  the  direction  of  this  axis  aftei- 
leaA'ing  Imecourt,  and  at  the  time  it  Avas  perhaps  difficult  to 
understand,  but  it  Avill  be  remembei-ed  thai  llic  Army  was 
making  a  SAveeping  turn  to  the  EastAvard  in  tiie  direction  of 
Stenay  and  our  line  of  connnunication  Avas  l)eing  changed  ac- 
cordingly. The  AA^riter  will  covei-  in  a  later  chaptei-  all  of  the 
detailed  Avnrk   ])crfofiii('(l    l)y  the    l>attalion   dui-ini;    tlicse   last 


German  conci'ete  Tank   Fence 

Hindenberg  Line. 

Dead  Man's  Hill. 

Burning  Balloon. 

Just    ruin.s — neai-    Avacourt. 


5.  Near    Avacourt — road    over    which 
w^e.  traveled    first    day    of    Meuse- 

Argonne  offensive. 

6.  Shell  hole  in   liillet — Chateau-Thierry, 


:\rErsE-AK(iux.\E  117 

days,  Init  desires  to  touch  here  upon  the  woiidei'i'ul  spii-it  of  the 
men  in  our  organization  during  this  time.  They  liad  lieen  work- 
ing up  to  the  very  limit  of  endurance,  the  weather  was  extreme- 
ly bad,  the  roads  most  miserable,  good  food  difficult  to  get  up 
to  the  men,  and  all  in  all  the  strain  was  beginning  to  tell.  How- 
ever, the  work  in  hand  was  being  carried  on  with  a  determined 
effort  and  the  writer  does  not  believe  a  nuiii  in  the  outfit 
would  have  taken  advantage  of  an  opportunity  to  i-eturn  to 
the  SOS  if  it  had  been  offered  him.  But  the  end  was  near  at 
hand  and  our  hard  work  was  nearing  completion  as  persistent 
rumors  of  the  Armistice  were  being  circulated  every  day.  The 
writer  was  forced  to  leave  the  organization  the  day  before  the 
eventful  day  for  the  Hospital  and  therefore  missed  the  actual 
rejoicing.  .Months  afterwards  (in  April,  191f),  .just  al)out  the 
time  the  Organization  sailed  for  the  U.  S.)  he  n^ad  an  article 
in  Collier's  by  Frederick  Palmer,  a  portion  of  which  touched 
upon  the  (dosing  days  of  "America's  Greatest  Battle,"  and 
with  apologies  to  him  and  the  indulgence  of  the  read,ei-,  the  fol- 
lowing is  quoted,  believing  that  he  has  covered  the  nu^at  of  the 
matter  in  a  most  interesting  and  entertaining  mannei*. 

On  the  luorniiig  of  November  2  the  German  communique  aimouuced 
for  the  first  time  in  the  four  years  and  more  of  its  literary  propaganda 
for  the  German  peojjle  and  the  world,  that  the  German  line  had  been 
broken;  and  on  that  day  our  whole  line  made  another  spring  forward  on 
schedule  time.  The  whaleback  was  ours.  We  looked  down  on  the  valley 
of  the  Meuse,  winding  toward  Sedan.  The  survivors  of  the  step-by-step 
ailvance  in  the  Argonne  had  only  to  stretch  their  legs  now.  Motor  trucks 
followed  the  infantry  over  unharmed  roads,  hurrying  uj)  supi)lies.  Other 
motor  trucks  brought  the  reserves.  Civil  population  in  villages,  unin- 
jured except  by  a  few  shells,  welcomed  us.  It  was  a  man-li  against  a 
little  artillery  fire  and  some  machine-gun  fire,  while  we  gatlienMi  in  the 
stragglers  of  the  many  broken  German  divisions. 
Crossing  the  Meuse  Canal. 

Our  mo\emeiit  was  now  becoming  fan-shaped,  with  our  rushing  divi- 
sions on  our  left  sjireading  out  into  the  sector  of  the  French  Fourth  Army, 
and  the  divisions  on  our  right  gradually  forming  their  front  on  the  bank 
of  the  curving  Meuse.  Of  course  the  oth,  on  the  extreme  right,  was  the 
first  in  position  for  a  crossing.  It  had  to  pass  over  the  Meuse  Canal 
after  it  hail  passed  over  the  river.  By  1  a.  m.  of  the  .Srd  a  ])atrol  was 
across  the  Meuse,  but  was  checked  at  tlie  canal  by  machine  guns,  which 
also  stopped  some  engineers  who   were  trying  to  liuild  a   footbridge  over 

the  river,  but  the  artillery  joined    in    witli   tin ichine  guns  and  forced 

them  to  dig  in  on  the  l)ank  of  the  canal.  However,  the  evening  was  yet 
young.  Two  footljridges  were  put  oxer  the  canal  before  morning,  but 
when  small  columns  tried  to  rush  across  all  their  efforts  were  swept 
back  bv  well-directed  lilasts. 


Enti-ance  to  Verdun. 

Verdun. 

Dead  Man's  Hill. 


4.      Barli  Avire  entanglements  near  Etain. 

.5.      Front  line  dressing-  station  near  Verdun. 

6.     Verdun — Signal  Corps  "dump"  on   left. 


.METSf^-ARGONXE  119 

At  nine-thirty  the  next  morning  the  army  sent  word  that  the  cross- 
ing must  be  effected,  as  the  whole  movement  of  the  army  depended  upon 
it.  Therefore  it  was  not  in  order  to  wait  on  darkness.  We  must  get  to 
work  immediately.  We  should  try  at  many  points,  and  at  some  points 
we  were  bound  to  succeed.  At  Clery-le-Petite  we  started  to  make  a  bridge 
of  pontoons,  but  the  pontoons  were  smashed  by  shells  almost  as  fast  as 
they  were  put  in  the  water;  and,  although  the  bridge  was  made,  there 
was  no  crossing  it  against  the  hurricane  of  fire.  A  little  later  two  bat- 
talions, attacking  by  sur])rise  without  artillery  preparation,  gained  a 
crossing  at  Brieulles,  and  about  the  same  time  another  battalion,  the  men 
used  improvised  rafts,  or  duckboards,  poles,  and  ropes,  and  swimming, 
slij^pcd  over  into  the  Chatillon  Woods.  As  all  the  men  were  wet  to  the 
skin  and  the  night  was  cold,  action  was  the  only  means  of  keeping  warm, 
and  before  morning  they  had  cleaned  up  the  woods.  The  next  thing  was 
to  master  the  town  of  Dun-sur-Meuse.  "Take  the  shelling  and  the  ma- 
chine-gun fire,"  was  the  divisional  command.  "Go  through  Dun  and  then 
go  east.  Push  things  along. ' '  By  midday  of  November  5th  Dun  was  taken. 
The  German  was  being  given  no  time  to  rest;  and  the  next  <lay  the  men 
of  the  5th  advanced  four  miles  among  the  heights  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Meuse. 

The  enterprise  of  the  oth  ha<l  forewarned  the  Germans  what  they 
might  expect  from  the  90th,  which  had  farther  to  go  than  the  5th,  and 
had  some  bad  ground  to  clean  up  on  the  way.  Meanwhile  a  regiment 
of  the  32d  had  come  in  between  the  90th  and  5th;  so  the  "Arrow's"  were 
not  out  of  the  pursuit. 

Mouth-Watering  Hounds 

The  Germans  on  the  bank  ojtjiosite  the  90th  were  intrenching,  and 
while  dropping  gas  shells  on  our  bank  their  artillery  was  as  cjuick  as 
their  machine  gunners  to  concentrate  their  fire  on  our  attempts  at  cross- 
ing. The  90th  went  through  much  the  same  experience  as  the  5th.  The 
Texans  were  not  in  a  mood  to  be  stopped  by  a  river  now  that  they  had 
tasted  pursuit,  and  after  stiff  fighting  they  took  the  town  of  Stenay  on 
the  other  side  of  the  10th  and  extended  their  advance  to  the  hills  beyond. 

Wright 's  89th,  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  in  the  center,  was  keeping  up 
with  the  90th,  and  it  found,  as  the  90th  and  as  the  2d,  on  its  left,  had 
found,  that  the  Germans  were  continuing  to  cover  all  the  ajjproaches  to 
the  river  with  machine-gun  and  artillery  fire.  It  had  been  the  "race- 
horse" 2d  which  had  captured  the  German  officers  at  a  card  game,  and 
which  in  one  of  its  night  marches  captured  an  officer  in  the  midst  of  his 
inspection  of  his  machine-gun  platoon  prejiaratory  to  making  a  strategic 
retreat.  All  the  divisions  were  making  night  marches,  but  the  2d  had 
particiilar  reasons  for  urgency  on  this  score,  because  there  was  the  1st 
in  reserve  ju'essing  up  for  a  chance — yes,  it  liad  the  impudence  to  think 
that  it  might  go  through  the  2d — to  relieve  anybody  in  the  front  line 
that  was  tired — with  all  the  mouth-watering  watchfulness  of  a  hound 
waiting  to  pick  up  a  bone  if  another  hound  droppeil  it.  When  it  was 
decided  that  the  80th,  which  had  been  put  in  without  sufficient  time  for 
recuperation  after  its  service  in  the  Third  Corps,  should  be  given  a  little 
rest  in  reserve,  the  1st,  which  had  been  thirty-six  hours  at  a  stretch  on 
its  feet,  had  its  ambition — as  our  first  division  to  arrive  in  France  to  be 
in  at  the  finish — gratified.  To  every  man  of  ours  the  sight  of  that  val- 
ley, as  he  moved  downhill  after  he  liad  fought  an  uphill  fight  for  six 
weeks,  was  as  the  sight  of  water  calling  a  thirsty  num  in  the  desert.  The 
little  men  from  the  tenements,  in  the  77tli,  New  York's  own  Liberty  Di- 
\ision,  kejit  forcing  thenisehes  along  under  tlieir  heavy  pa(d<s,  for  it  is 
not  tlie  liabit  of  JNIetropolitans  to  miss  a  jiarade.  As  tli(>  First  National 
Army  division  to  arrisc   in    Franc(\  tlicy   had  Just    as   inucli    tight   to  be  in 


1.  Ready   for   an   "alert."  4.      An    Arms'    liaireiil. 

2.  Hunting'   the  cootie.  •").      Sewing'  on    1st  Army   "A's." 

3.  Rolling-  kitchen;  Cook   Bi-uce  in  foreground. 


ME  rSE- A  R(  ;ON  XE  121 

at  the  finish  as  the  1st — though,  to  tell  the  truth,  it  was  uot  sentiment 
which  kejit  a  division  in  or  took  one  out,  but  the  tactical  considerations 
of  the  moment.  The  42ud,  pressing  forward  for  an  opening  with  all  the 
fervor  of  the  1st,  went  through  McRae 's  "Jersey  Lightnings"  of  the 
78th — all  honor  to  them  and  their  commander:  they  who  had  shown  the 
endurance  of  por])oise  hide  after  their  grueling  attacks  in  the  Grand  Pre 
gap  by  making  a  fifteeu-mile  advance  fighting  along  the  edges  of  the 
Bourgogne  Wood. 

'  'Press  the  Enemy' ' 

As  the  42nd  represented  twenty-six  states,  it  would  not  have  jiaid 
much  attention,  even  if  its  orders  had  been  different,  to  army  sectors 
when  it  was  in  full  cry  after  the  enemy  on  the  way  to  the  River  Meuse. 
The  report  that  the  Rainbows  had  entered  Sedan  was  due  to  a  misun- 
derstanding by  one  who  read  the  Rainbows'  message  on  the  subject. 
They  had  entered  Wadelineourt,  a  suburb  on  the  other  side  of  the  river 
from  Sedan.  The  difference  was  as  that  of  mistaking  Jersey  City  for 
New  York  if  the  North  River  was  about  a  sixth  of  its  breadth. 

The  French  took  Sedan;  an<l  that  was  as  it  should  be.  There  was 
historical  fitness  in  those  veteran  poilus,  in  their  faded  blue  coats,  being 
the  first  to  enter  that  town  where  a  French  disaster  due  to  a  ti'avesty  of 
imperial  leadership  had  glorified  the  Hohenzollem  and  his  army  which 
was  now  broken  in  retreat;  and  it  was  equally  fitting  too  that  the  Brit- 
ish veterans  should  take  Mons,  where  Sir  John  French  's  ' '  contemptibles  ' ' 
had  show'u  how  bravely  men  could  die  against  overwhelming  odds. 

The  42nd  side-slipped  out  of  the  French  sector.  On  the  night  of 
November  10  the  2d  and  the  89th  Divisions  accomplished  their  crossing 
of  the  ]\reuse.  The  next  morning  we  continued  to  advance  along  our 
whole  front  on  the  other  bank,  while  our  Second  Army  in  the  St.  Mihiel 
sector  made  an  attack  which  was  a  part  of  plans  already  made.  As  an 
army  we  had  no  orders  yet  except  to  press  the  enemy,  gaining  every  ad- 
vantage that  Yve  could.  We  had  no  official  word  that  the  armistice 
would  be  signed.  One  of  the  most  convincing  reasons  which  the  Germans 
had  for  signing  it — and  many  officers  thought  that  the  Germans  might 
not  sign  it,  as  they  still  had  a  large  army  in  being — was  the  events  on 
the  Meuse  during  the  first  ten  days  of  November  which  gave  us  all  the 
liositions  of  the  Meuse.  On  many  occasions  German  peace  talk  had  had 
no  ol)ject  apparently  except  to  injure  the  morale  of  the  Allied  armies; 
and  throughout  the  peace  discussions  of  October  it  was  not  the  business 
of  the  soldiers  to  be  influenced  by  it,  but  to  go  on  fighting  all  the  harder 
until  the  order  to  cease  firing  came. 

When  Dreams  Came  True 

Until  eleven  o'clock  on  November  11  the  German  nitillery  was  fir- 
ing at  some  points  where  we  were  not  attacking.  Instantly  the  mess- 
age that  an  armistice  was  signed  came  from  Marshal  Foch's  head- 
quarters it  was  transmitted  over  the  lines  and  operations  were  stopped 
as  fast  as  units  could  be  informed.  Some  small  parties,  working  their 
way  against  machine-gun  nests,  could  not  lie  reached  in  time.  Individual 
soldiers  who  were  creeping  forward  in  woods  and  ravines  had  to  be 
warned  in  person  before  they  stopped  sniping  at  machine-gun  nests  \vlii(di 
they  were  encircling.  The  79th  Division  had  only  one  more  hill  In  takr 
before  it  gained  the  great  plain  of  the  Woevre.  When  one  of  the  ad 
vanced  units  received  the  word  that  the  war  was  over  a  soldier  ex 
claimed:  "Hell!  Aren't  you  going  to  let  us  take  the  last  hill  an<l  finisli 
the  job?"  The  New  Englandeis  of  the  2fith  were  fighting  beside  the 
79th,  advancing  steadily  after  their  terrible  days  in  the  battle  for  tlie 
heights  on  the  east  liaiik  of  tli(*  Meuse.  Now  we  had  them  all  i'\ce|d  thai 
one   hill. 


122 


:\iE:\roKTKs  of  the  -^irnr' 


Oh,  the  happiness  of  that  day  of  the  armistice  to  one  who  had  been 
four  years  with  the  war!  The  guns  were  silent — silent  all  the  way  from 
Switzerland  to  the  sea;  the  grindings  of  the  mill  of  hell  had  ceased.  And 
the  happiness  of  the  succeeding  days  following  our  troops  to  the  Ehine 
and  in  seeing  King  Albert  enter  Brussels,  the  British  guarding  the  bridge 
at  Cologne  and  the  French  in  Alsace — dreams  come  true  at  every  turn 
of  the  road  in  every  soldier's  face  and  in  every  face  in  every  village! 
But  this  is  not  an  article  of  impressions. 
All  Proved  Themselves 

The  ]Meuse  -Argonne  battle  had  been  won.  Our  army,  in  the  course 
of  the  winning,  had  stretched  its  resources  to  the  utmost.  We  had  only 
two  fresh  divisions  in  reser\e,  while  the  French  had  fourteen  and  the 
British  seven — which  I  mention  to  show  that,  although  we  came  into  the 
war  late,  we  were  all  in  at.  the  end.  Six  of  our  National  Army  divisions 
participated  in  the  final  phase.  All  had  proved  themselves.  But  why 
think  of  the  army  in  divisions  when  the  gaps  in  the  ranks  of  divisions 
had  been  filled  by  strangers  to  the  localities  from  wiiieh  they  came?  In 
order  to  have  rejdacements  we  broke  up  two  National  Army  divisions — 
which  was  a  heartbreaking  thing  to  do — and  all  the  more  so  as  the  pres- 
sure on  the  lines  of  communication  required  that  some  of  the  battalions 
should  be  turned  into  labor  troops. 

Our  hospitals  were  full.  Our  teams  of  surgeons,  our  divisional  sur- 
geons, our  privates,  our  officers,  all  hands,  were  groggy  with  the  kind 
of  fatigue  that  one  night's  rest  would  not  cure  after  that  fearful  six 
weeks'  draft  on  their  nerve  energy.  One  does  not  forget  the  stretcher 
bearers,  and  least  of  all  one  does  not  forget  the  nurses.  I  mean  not  the 
women  of  the  volunteer  organizations,  but  the  army  nurses,  the  practical, 
trained  women  under  army  discipline  who  worked  double  time.  They  be- 
came hollow-eyed  with  w^eariness,  but  remained  cheerful  and  smiling.  In 
all  the  gatherings  of  veterans '  associations  they  should  have  a  place  of 
honor. 


Tlie   last  construction  woik   in   the  liattlo  zone.   "Deadendinj 
outside  of  Verflun,  Novemljer  20,  191S. 


the  jol) 


XIII 
THE   ARMISTICE 


/^UR  men  were  scattered  over  a  wide  area  on  November  lltli 
and  therefore  no  opportnnity  otfered  for  a  big'  celebration 
such  as  was  being  indulged  in  liy  other  organizations.  The 
news  seemed  too  good  to  be  true ;  we  had  dreamed  of  such  a 
time  for  some  weeks  and  had  visualized  our  desires  and  hopes 
as  to  just  ''vhat  form  of  exjiression  they  woukl  take.  The  pos- 
sibility of  the  report  being  untrue,  as  a  similar  report  of  a  few 
days  previous  had  been,  clung  to  us :  peace  meant  so  much  that 
we  did  not  dare  to  be  optimistic  for  fear  of  disappointment. 
Then  when  eleven  o'clock  came  and  firing  ceased,  our  fears 
disappeared:  and  then  in  the  afternoon  the  big  observation 
balloons  were  hauled  down,  and  as  the  short  afternoon  began 
fading  into  early  twilight,  tlie  big  celebration  of  fireworks  be- 
Gan.  we  too  began  to  find  ourselves  and  search  for  somethijig 


124 


mp:mories  of  the  - -411x11" 


with  wliich  to  make  a  noise  and  matei-ial  with  Avhieh  to  turn 
the  darkness  into  light. 

A  short  time  after  the  Armistice  we  were  informed  that 
tile  First  Army  headquarters  was  not  going  on  into  (iermany, 
and  that  after  a  few  days  work,  completing  worlc  under  way, 
we  wonld  be  moved  back  into  a  rest  area.  And  shortly  there- 
after Ave  started  down  the  ]\leuse  Valley  to  Verdun,  the  trip 
being  made  after  dark.  We  will  never  forget  that  trip ;  it  was 
a  hright  moonlight  night.  The  valley  averages  a  mile  or  so 
in  width  with  the  surrounding  hills  jutting  into  the  flanks  at 
irregular  intervals  and  the  Meuse  river  wending  its  way 
through  the  center.  The  camp  fires  of  troops  resting  for  the 
night  lighted  up  the  landscape  and  completed  the  naturally 
beautiful  picture.  It  was  the  first  time  in  over  four  years  that 
the  soldiers  had  had  the  privilege  of  fires  at  night  and  they 
were  indulging  it  to  the  limit.  There  was  light  aplenty  with- 
out the  moon,  for  on  all  sides  the  victory  celebration  was  still 
in  progress,  and  the  shells  and  vari-eolored  flares  lighted  up 
the  sky  for  miles  and  miles.  And  everybody  was  happy ;  the 
old  tenseness  was  gone ;  in  its  place  was  hilarious  laughter  and 
spontaneous  raillery  hurled  at  each  other  and  passers-by. 


XIV 
AT    FRAVAUX 

'"pllE  neAV  headquarters  of  the  First  Army  was  established  at 
Bar-siir-Aube,  which  is  a  small  village  near  Chaumont  and 
some  hundred  and  fifty  miles  southeast  of  Paris.  Upon  reach- 
ing Bar-snr-Anbe,  our  headquarters  was  estal)lished  at  Fra- 
vanx,  about  tAventy  kilometers  distant.  Our  liard  Avorldng 
days  were  past  and  we  had  opportunity  to  rest  and  think  it 
over.  It  would  be  natural  to  think  that  after  the  months  of 
hard,  constant  work,  the  opportunity  to  take  i1  easy  would 
have  immediately  resulted  in  everybody  becoming  physically 
fit.  The  exact  contrary  liappened,  and  for  the  first  month  or 
six  weeks  after  reaching  camp  there  were  times  wdien  more 
than  fifty  per  cent  of  the  outfit  would  be  marked  "quarters" 
at  sick  call.  HoAvever,  toAvard  the  close  of  December,  everybody 
began  to  round  into  shape  and  began  to  ask :  "When  are  Ave  go- 
ing home?"  During  this  time  Ave  had  performed  some  small  joI)s 
in  connection  Avith  the  establishment  of  First  Army  headquar- 
ters, and  constructed  a  tAVo  circuit  lance  pole  lead  for  a  dis- 
tance of  about  tAventy  kilometers  to  one  of  the  Corps  head- 
quarters. But  the  ma.ior  ])ortion  of  our  time  Avas  spent:  "two 
hoiu's  each  day  to  physical  exercise,  military  drill  and  train- 
ing ;  tAvo  hours  per  day  to  pistol  practice,  study  and  motor  me- 
chanics school:  practice  mai'ch  on  Fridays:  Battalion  ins|)ec- 
tion  on  Saturdays."  Opportunity  Avas  noAV  afforded  for  men 
to  go  on  leave,  and  during  the  remainder  of  our  stay  in  France 
most  of  the  men  Avho  desired  to  visit  places  Avliicli  they  had  not 
yet  seen  Avere  able  to  do  so. 

Christmas  time  was  appi-oaching  and  as  our  lliouizh.ts  were 
Avandering  to  our  homeland  and  our  families,  Ave  had  io  nud^e 
the  Holiday  Spirit  here  in  this  little  French  village  to  drive 
aAvay  our  lonesomeness.  Through  contributions  to  our  mess 
fund  Avhich  had  recently  l)een  received  from  oui-  fi'ieuds  in  the 
Telephone  Company  at  home,  avc  had  abundant    funds  Io  pur- 


126 


MKAIUIJIHS  OF  THE  "illTlI 


chase  the  wherewithal.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  look 
after  the  arrangements  and  the  Mritei'  will  tell  abont  the 
resnlt  by  reprodncing  a  letter  written  by  him  a  few  days  after 
to  the  fi-iends  at  home  wlio  helped  to  make  it  all  possible,  as 
follows : 

Christmas  With  the  "411th" 

Of  conrse,  at  this  Chi-istmas  time  our  thoughts  were  with 
our  folks  at  home,  and  we  were  all  longing  for  the  day  to  come 
when  we  Avould  again  tramp  on  our  native  soil  and  l)e  able  to 


GEOKGK    AV.     MILI.KH 

Second    L/ieut.    Sig'iial    Corps    assigned    to     llllh    .Januar\' 
1919  at  Fravaux. 


ME  rSE- ARGON  X  E  127 

stick  our  feet  under  the  table  with  our  own  home  peo[)le.  How- 
ever, do  not  think  for  a  minute  that  we  hid  ourselves  away  with 
our  secret  yearnino'  and  let  the  day  ^o  by  without  enjoyment. 
As  I  have  told  you  in  a  jtrevious  letter,  Fravaux  is  a  very 
small  village  of  fifty-two  inhabitants  when  everybody  is  at 
home ;  just  now  there  are  eight  people  away  (French  soldiers 
who  have  not  yet  been  discharged  from  the  army)  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  present  jiopulation  is  made  up  of  oiu-  organiza- 
tion. You  will  readily  understand,  therefore,  that  we  had  to 
nuike  our  own  Christmas  celel)ration. 

We  have  a  very  good  barracks  building  which  we  had  set 
aside  as  the  dining-  room ;  each  company  having-  their  field 
kitchen  in  opposite  ends  of  the  building.  A  Christmas  connnit- 
tee  was  appointed  and  the  dining'  hall  was  transformed  into  a 
veritable  evergreen  house.  A  big  Christmas  tree  was  obtained, 
with  plenty  of  decorations.  There  are  no  electric  lights  in  the 
town,  but  then  a  little  thing  like  that  never  bothei-s  mucli :  if 
what  we  need  is  not  working,  we  just  get  busy  and  make  it. 
Company  D  had  found  a  small  gasoline  electric  light  ])lant  in 
one  of  the  dugouts  at  ]\Iont  Sec  a  few  hours  after  the  1)och(' 
made  his  hasty  retreat  from  that  sectoi'.  With  theii-  custonmry 
destructive  precaution  the  Germans  had  used  a  sledge  liammei- 
in  an  endeavor  to  put  the  engine  out  of  commission.  However, 
our  mechanics  got  busy,  and  now  we  have  electric  lights  in  the 
mess  hall  and  in  the  various  offices,  and  have  also  placed  some 
street  lights,  to  the  wonderment  of  the  populace.  Having  ar- 
ranged the  projK'r  stage  setting'  for  the  occasion,  the  really  big 
problem  was  to  find  the  materials  from  which  to  prepare  "the 
eats."  ^\r.  Turkey  is  rather  a  rare  old  bird  in  this  i)art  of 
France,  and  the  i)easants  guard  liim  very  closely,  aiul  1  l)e- 
lieve  they  must  keep  him  with  theii*  precious  jewels,  liecansc 
the  price  is  about  the  same  as  gold.  The  committci'  finally 
piclx'ed  np  enough  turkeys — buying'  one  here  and  one  ihei-e — 
at  the  rate  of  81/'  francs  per  kilo.  How  much  is  that  .'  Well, 
to  save  you  g'etting  our  your  slich-  i-ule,  it  is  ai)proximately  1') 
cents  pej'  pound.  Now  our  folk's  at  home  <h)n"t  tliiidc  it  is  mm-li 
of  a  job  to  prepare  the  (,'hi-istmas  turkey — sini|)ly  phiciuL;-  it  in 
the  |)atent   I'oastei',  tni'iiini;-  ou  the  i^as,  and   looking  at    it    once 


128  ME.AIOHIKS  OF  THE  "illTIl" 

in  a  while  to  st'e  that  it  is  ])roi)erly  hasted.  But  it  is  ([uite  some 
task  to  eook  turkey  for  225  hungry  soldiers,  with  all  of  the 
other  things  that  go  with  a  Christmas  dinner,  on  field  ranges, 
firewood  that  lias  just  l)e('n  eut  from  the  forest,  ami  other  dif- 
ficulties. Our  cooks  are  I'eally  wonders,  and  I  will  leave  you 
to  judge  hy  giviug  you  helow  the  menu: 

Sou}) — Clam  Chowder 
Dill  Pi(ddes 
Roast  Turkey.  Yorkshire  Dressing- 
Apple  Sauce 
Mashed   Potatoes  Creamed  ( 'ji  iiliflo^ver 

Fruit  Cake.  Brandy  Sauce 
Yin  Eouge  (Ked  Wine) 
Choc()late   Candy  Cigars 

Mixed  Nuts 
Hot    Chocolate         Cigarettes 

And  believe  me,  the  whole  dinner  was  just  as  good  as  the 
meiui  looks;  more  tlian  that,  it  was  served  piping  hot,  the 
kitchen  police  having  perfected  a  system  which  worked  with 
the  smoothness  of  a  cafeteria.  Perhaps  their  alacrity  was  as- 
sisted hy  the  fact  that  they  all  wore  waxed  mustaches — I  pre- 
sume, to  imitate  French  Avaiters. 

Aft(M-  a  couple  of  liouj's'  eating-,  the  mess  hall  was  cleared 
so  that  the  seating  ai-raugement  might  be  changed  for  the 
"show"  and  moving  pictui'cs.  The  following  progi-amme  was 
placed  befoi'e  the  guests: 

1.  Overture  Battalion  nJazzers 

Partridge,  Kidd,  Agaard  and  (Jraham 

2.  \'ocal  Solo Sgt.  Bartholomew  C.  Dally.  Jr. 

3.  Reading Parker 

4.  Quai-tette Agony  Four 

5.  Piano  Solo Card  (3d  Depot  Battalion 

(').  .Monologue Candidate  IMorris  (former  vSgt.  Major  ) 

7.  \'ocal  Solo  . Nicholson 

8.  Piano  Jazz AYm.   Burns 

(  Bi'other  of  our  fjieut.  Burns.) 


AT  FRAVAUX  129 

9.     .AIonoloLiuc  Candidjilc  PattiTsoii 

(Former  Sgt.  Patterson) 

10.      \'i()liii  Solo  Card  and  (lose 

C^d   l)ei)ot   P>attalion) 

n.     Talk  Major  ]\roore 

12.  (ii'aiid  Finale,  "Then  We  Will  Know  We  Are  Thi-oimir' 
Agony  Foui-  and  Assemblai>e 
After  the  nnisical  pi'oui'anmie,  Professor  Xortlinip  i  sur- 
geon of  light),  world  famous  cineniographist,  with  his  ndllion 
franc  machine  will  persuade  some  of  his  latest  film  successes  to 
flit  liglitly  across  the  screen.  Ladies  will  please  remove  tlndr 
hats,  and  gentlemen  will  leave  their  gnns  with  the  doorkeepci-. 
If  the  show  pleases  yon,  tell  others;  if  it  does  not.  tell  us;  tlie 
management  will  refund  yonr  niidvcl  and  our  committee  on 
kiclvs  will  guarantee  yon  satisfaction. 

STAFF 

Gilded — ^la.jor  ]Moore,  ]\Iajor  ^IcCoy  (surgeon).  Captain 
Coates,  Captain  Scott,  Lientenant  Rntherfnrd,  Lientenant  Nie- 
moeller,  Lientenant  Smith,  Lietitenant  Bnrns,  Lieutenant  East. 

Nickel  Plate — Stage  manager,  l^oc  Cook  ;  electrician,  Tom 
Burns;  carpenter,  Miram  Leonard;  propert.y,  Use;  music.  Part- 
ridge; costumes.  Ceo.  ^leyers ;  wardrobe  mistress,  Ilalpin ; 
kicks  and  complaints,  Bevan  and  J.  L.  Johnson  (heavyweight 
wrestler  and  boxer,  respectively.) 

(yhickering  piano  used;  shoes  and  costumes  fui-nishcd  by 
Madame  Gouverenment. 

Remain  in  your  seats  aftei-  the  show;  Santa  (Mans  \\ill 
come  down  the  chimney  and  fill  \\p  your  sock. 

FINIS 

Yon  will  note  reference  to  candidates  i\Iori'is  and  Paltci-- 
son  on  the  programme.  iMse's  Joi-dan,  Ilari'is  and  Sergeants 
]\Iorris,  Pattei'son  and  liutchins  ai"e  attending  an  officei-s'  ti'ain- 
ing-  school  about  fifty  kilometers  ffom  here.  We  inxilcd  llicni 
"home"  for  Christnuis  and  sent  a  Iriick  foi-  Ihcm.  'i'lu'  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  was  at  Langrcs  to  I'cview  troops  of 
the  First  Army;  but  tliat  didiTl  make  any  diffcrciici' ;  all  (>x- 
(•e])t   Sci'gcanI    llulcliius   cainc    up   Ium-c.     -IusI    niculion    lliis   to 


1.  Pravaux,  France.  3.      Snow   scenes,    Fravaux. 

2.  Dining-  room  Christmas  1918  Dinner.        4.      Fresh  air  after  "hunk  fatig'ue." 

n.      Christmas.    191S. 


AT  FRAVAUX  131 

show  the  old  411th  spirit :  they  always  like  to  get  back  to  the 
organization  whenever  they  have  been  gone  for  any  length  of 
time.  Sergeant  Hntchins  was  assigned  some  duty  whieli  he 
couldn't  leave. 

You  will  note  one  of  the  songs  the  Agony  Four  sang  was 
entitled  "'Then  We'll  Know  AVe  Are  Through."  Of  course 
there  has  been  a  lot  of  discussion  as  to  when  we  are  going  home  ; 
one  day  one  eroAvd  Avill  start  a  rumor  we  are  to  go  at  once ;  the 
next  day  another  crowd  will  have  it  we  are  going  to  stay  six 
months — so  this  is  what  they  sang: 

When  the  major  gets  his  eagles, 

AVhen  the  captain  gets  his  leaf. 
When  the  Alse.  's  are  shavetails, 

And  the  privates  have  no  grief: 

When  they  salvage  our  equipment 

And  the  Fords  and  Garfords,  too, 
When  they  load  us  on  a  trans})ort. 

Then  we'll  know  we're  through. 

Pretty  good  n'est  ce  pas? 

The  whole  neighborhood  of  French  people  for  miles  around 
came  to  our  Christmas  party,  and  thought  it  was  wonderful. 
The  old  lady  with  Avhom  1  am  billeted,  in  telling  me  about  it 
the  next  moi'uing.  said:  "First  you  Anun'icans  put  iu  tele- 
phone connection  with  Bar-sur-Aube,  then  you  put  iu  electric 
lights,  and  now  you  have  a  moving  picture  show.  You  are 
surely  changing  things  in  our  village."  Alany  of  them  had 
never  seen  a  moving  picture  l)efore,  especially  the  ok!  people 
and  the  children. 

During  the  mouths  of  January  and  u])  to  I-i'i-hruai'v  "JOlh. 
life  at  Fravaux  contiuued  with  the  sanu^  old  (pu'stiou  :  "When 
do  we  go  home?"  always  in  mind.  We  had  succeeded  in  making 
ourselves  very  comfortable:  eveiy  possiljle  opi)ortunity  was 
given  to  enjoy  ourselves:  we  had  built  a  iiioviug  piclui'c  Ihcalre 
at  which  nightly  shows  were  given:  had  organ izi'd  a  band  and 
were  really  having  a  very  good  i'uue.  But  thai  was  not  going 
home,  aiul  when  orders  came  on  the  last  mentioned  date  to 
move  to  Montlouis,  the  aiuiouucement  was  hailed  with  joy.  as 


132 


:\IE.AiOKIES  OF  T 1 1 E  ' •  4 1 ITI 1 


it  meant  at  least  that  we  would  Ix'  that  much  nearer  a  port  of 
embarkation.  We  had  been  a  unit  of  the  First  Army  since  its 
organization  over  seven  months  ])efore  and  it  was  not  without 
many  regrets  that  we  said  good  bye  to  the  many  friends  that 
we  had  formed  during  that  assoeiatiou.  At  the  review  and  in- 
spection held  a  few  days  prior  to  our  departure,  Colonel 
Parker  llitt.  Chief  Signal  Officer  of  the  First  Army,  had  com- 
I)limented  us  most  highly  npon  the  record  we  had  made,  and 
the  order  covering  onr  removal  from  the  First  Army  Avas  Avrit- 
ten  in  the  following  eommendatory  language. 

"1.  Pursuant  to  S.  ().  :n,  Ibp-s.  1st  Army,  AEF,  G-8, 
dated  February  17th,  191!),  the  111th  Telegraph  Battalion  is 
relieved  from  duty  with  the  1st  Army,  and  assigned  to  the  S. 
().  S.  This  battalion  reported  for  duty  with  the  1st  Army 
July  28th,  1918,  at  LaFerte-sous-Jouarre. 

■'2.  'i'he  411th  Telegraph  Battalion  participated  in  the 
following  operations  of  the  1st  Army: 

CHATEAU-THIERRY 

••July  29,  1918,  to  August  8,  1918,  establishing  switching 
stations,  telegraph  offices  and  lines  to  Corps  Headquarters. 


From    Producer  to   Coiisiinier   iil    Kravaiix 


AT  FRAVAUX 


i;« 


ST.  .MilllHL 

"From  September  12th.  1!)18,  to  Sei)temljei-  1(51  li,  1!)18, 
the  entire  Battalion  was  eriya*ied  in  the  eonstrnction,  iiiaiiilen- 
ance  and  operations  of  tele^jraph  and  telephone  Ai-niy  net  woi-k. 

MErSE-ARdOXNP: 

"From  Sei)tember  iMJtli,  1!)18,  to  Novemhei'  lltli,  1!)1.S,  the 
entire  Battalion  was  engaged  in  the  eonsti'uetion  and  mainten- 
ance of  main  axis  of  the  Army.  Rontes  of  axis:  Sonilly,  Ville- 
snr-Consnaces,  Reciconrt,  Avoeonrt,  Ivoiry,  Gesnes,  Landres. 
St.  (Jeorges,  Imecourt,  Bayonville,  Xonart,  Stenay.  During  this 
period  the  advance  detachments  of  this  organization  Avere  fre- 
quently under  fire. 

"3.  The  Chief  Signal  Officer  takes  this  occasion  to  ex- 
press his  apjn-eciation  of  the  services  of  the  411th  Telegraph 
Battalion  while  a  part  of  the  forces  of  the  1st  Army.  The  un- 
tiring efforts  and  constant  labor  exerted  by  this  organization 
added  materially  to  the  success  of  the  1st  Army. 

"(Signed)     PARKER  IlITT, 

"Colonel,  Signal  Corps,  Chief  Signal  Officer.'" 

A  farewell  party  was  given  in  onr  theatre  the  night  before 
leaving  Fravaux,  and  we  had  as  our  distinguished  guest,  .Miss 
^largaret  Wilson,  daughter  of  President  Wilson,  who  enter- 
tained us  with  hei'  songs,  and  was  an  interested  sped  a  lor  (hir- 
ing the  I'eiiuunder  of  a  very  delightful  program. 


A   "BLOWOUT* 


XV 
MONTLOUIS 

/^UR  uew  station  Avas  ]Montlouis.  a  small  villai>e  just  outside 
^^^  of  Tours,  SOS  head(iuarters.  Tpon  arrival  there  "vve  were 
informed  that  we  would  be  engaged  in  the  repair  and  recon- 
struction of  the  toll  lead  between  Tours  and  Gievres ;  upon 
completion  of  which  the  same  work  Avould  be  done  on  the  lead 
from  Tours  to  St.  Xazaire :  and  then  it  was  hoped  that  we 
might  be  released  for  return  to  the  States.  Complete  new  motor 
and  signal  corps  equipment  was  issued  to  us,  and  all  of  our 
preparations  looked  as  though  we  were  booked  for  an  indefin- 
ite stay  in  France,  especially  as  no  other  Telegraph  Battalions 
were  being  sent  home  at  that  time.  However,  there  was  a  job 
to  be  done,  and  Avith  the  same  old  characteristic  "-illth  Spirit," 
everybody  Avent  to  it  with  a  liang.  The  Avork  Avas  Avell  under 
Avay  and  nearing  comidetion,  Avhen.  at  a  meeting  called  by  Major 
jMoore  on  3Iarch  17th.  he  informed  us  that  the  Battalion  was 
to  be  relieved  and  prepared  for  early  return.  Like  the  Armis- 
tice, the  neAvs  Avas  so  good,  Ave  Avere  afraid  to  l^elieA^e  it  for 
fear  of  disappointment.  The  next  Aveek  Avas  filled  Avith  the 
hustle  and  luistle  of  finishing  our  Avork  and  preparations  to 
depart.  On  ]Mareh  25th  Ave  marched  doAvn  to  the  little  toAvn 
of  Yaretz  some  tAvo  kilometers  distant  from  ]Montlouis  to  take 
the  train  for  Brest.  Just  before  boarding  the  cars  for  our  last 
railroad  trip  in  France  Ave  Avere  addressed  by  our  old  Com- 
manding Officer,  Major  Moore,  expressing  his  appreciation  of 
the  loyalty  sIioavu  and  good  Avoi'k  Avhich  had  been  done  during 
his  association  Avith  us  from  the  time  Ave  had  been  called  into 
service.  He  had  received  orders  only  a  short  time  before  de- 
taching him  from  the  organization  and  ordering  him  to  Ant- 
Averp,  Belgium  as  Chief  Signal  Officer,  Base  Section  Xo.  0. 

The  Avi-iter  Avill  ahvays  look  back  upon  this  parting  from 
liis  old  outfit  as  one  of  the  most  trying  days  in  his  life.  He  had 
l)een  associated  Avith  them  from  the  lieginuing  of  their  service 


.AEONTLOUIS 


135 


ERNEST   V.   IRISH 

Sprained  ankle  during-  last  days  of  Meuse-Argonne  just 
before  Armistice.  Sent  to  Hospital  and  then  evacuated  to 
U.  S.  While  on  board  U.  S.  Steamsliip  Maui  retui-nins"  lie 
was  suddenly  stricken  witli  pneumonia.  dyiiiK  on  .laiiuary  '2i, 
1919.      Buried   in  Cleveland,  Ohio,    witli  niilitar\-   lioni>rs. 


136 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  "411TH" 


and  kiieAv  all  of  their  faults  and  virtues.  It  had  been  his  con- 
stant endeavor  to  "write  their  faults  upon  the  sands"  and  re- 
niendier  only  their  virtues.  His  parting-  from  you  all  meant 
more  to  him  than  any  of  you  will  ever  know,  heeause  even  at 
that  time  it  was  l)eing-  impressed  upon  him  that  tlic  Spring  of 


i».  'r.  \vii,i<:v 

Was  stricken  wUli  "flu"  while  on  special  dut>-  in 
Paris,  France,  Fel)ruary,  1919.  Died  few  days  later. 
Buried  in  militar.v  cemetery  at  Suresness,  near 
Paris. 


MONTLOriS  137 

1919  was  tlie  time  for  a  iiiaii  lo  he  swiii^iiiu  back  into  ciNilian 
life  if  he  desired  to  have  an  ecjiial  oi)portunity.  However,  a 
.soldier  must  abide  by  the  orders  issued  to  him  aiul  he  tried  to 
be  as  cheerful  as  possible.  Yet,  it  was  a  nervous,  t  reiiiblin,<:- 
Commanding-  Officer  who  stood  out  there  under  the  trees  on 
that  cokl,  ^\■indy  March  morning  and  said  his  last  words  to  you 
as  an  Organization.  I  lis  heai't  wouhl  not  stay  down  out  of  his 
throat  and  the  salt  water  woidd  not  stay  out  of  Ids  eyes.  The 
only  thing  that  saved  him  from  bi-eaking  down  was  the  reading 
of  General  (libbs'  letter  of  good  wishes,  which  is  re])roduced 
helow.  The  writer  in  acknowledging  his  feelings  at  this  time 
does  so  for  the  reason  that  he  wishes  each  and  all  of  his  old 
comrades  to  know  .just  how  keen  was  his  regret  that  he  could 
not  have  the  pleasui-e  and  honor  of  retui-ning  to  oui'  homeland 
with  you. 

200-411th  Tot.  Bn. 

AMERICAN  EXPEDITIONARY  FORCES 
HEADQUARTERS   SERVICES   OF    SUPPLY 
OFFICE  OF  THE  CHIEF  SIGNAL  OFFICER 

:M;ir.-li    19.    1919 
From:      Chief  Signal  Officer,  AEF. 

To:      CoiiiiiiaiKliiig  Officer,  411th  Telej>ra])h  Battalion,  Si^njil  Corps. 
Subject:      Separation  from  the  American  AEF. 

1.  On  the  departure  of  your  organization  for  the  I'nited  States  the 
Chief  Signal  Officer  of  the  American  EF.  desires  me,  in  saying  farewell 
to  yourself,  your  officers  and  your  men,  for  him,  to  express  his  deep 
gratification  o\ev  the  fact  that  they  have  conducted  themselves  at  all 
times  while  on  a  foreign  soil  in  a  manner  true  to  the  traditions  of  an 
American  organization. 

2.  Upon  its  arrival  in  France  the  41 1th  Tek'gra|ili  Battjilion  was 
assigned  to  the  important  work  invcdved  in  the  constructioTi  of  the  \ast 
net  worlc  of  the  system  requii'ed  for  the  lines  of  communication.  The 
reputation  gained  by  it  in  carrying  forward  this  work  was  suidi  that 
upon  the  formation  of  the  1st  Army  in  July,  191S,  the  411th  Telegraph 
Battalion  was  immediately  selected  for  assignment  witii  this  Army.  The 
work  of  the  Signal  Corps  organizations  in  this  war  has  been  the  subject 
of  most  lavish  praise  by  division,  cor{)S  and  army  coininanders,  and  our 
Commander-in-Chief  has  placed  himself  on  record  as  saying  that  without 
the  aid  of  this  service  the  successes  of  our  Armies  would  not  have  been 
achieved.  The  411th  Telegra])h  Battalion,  on  the  record  of  its  task  well 
done,  can  looked  with  pride  on  its  share  in  the  credit  rctUctcil  on  this 
Army. 

;!.  In  their  return  lionie  and  to  their  pursuits  in  ri\il  life,  the  Ciiief 
Signal  Officer  wishes  that  all  good  foidnnc  may  attend  yourself  and  the 
members  of  vour  command. 

(iEOKMlh;  S.  (ilHIiS. 

Brigadier  (u'neral    I'.  S.   A.,  .\tting  ( '.  S.  O. 


XVI 
RECORD   OF   A.  E.  F.  WORK 

TX  chrouii-lin^'  the  i'Xj)erienees  of  our  outfit  in  the  Aniei'ican 
Expeditionary  Forces  in  the  fore,uoin<i'  chapters,  it  has  not 
beeu  i)Ossible  to  mention  the  (h'taih'd  work  pei-fornied  by  the 
organization.  Probal)]y  fcAv  of  tlie  men  who  lielped  to  do  the 
work  realized  just  what  was  aceomplished.  Therefore,  the 
following'  information  Avhich  has  l)een  taken  from  the  actual 
monthly  reports  rendered  to  the  (1nef  Signal  Officer,  A.  E.  F., 
l)y  the  Commanding'  Officer  of  the  411th,  in  conjunction  with 
the  maps  whieh  appear  heretofore,  will  give  the  reader  a  elear 
conception  and  serve  as  a  reference  when  any  particnlar  fea- 
ture may  be  under  discnssion  with  his  bnddies.  Only  the  pe- 
riod from  March,  1918,  to  ^larch,  l*)lf),  inclusive  has  been  re- 
prodnced  here,  as  that  period  covered  our  actual  work  "over 
there"  and  serves  the  purpose  of  this  chapter. 

March,  1918 

On  l)oard  transport  at  sea.  Arrived  in  Brest  harlior 
morning  of  3Iarch  4. 

Sent  freight  and  baggage  detail  ashore  to  care  for  Bat- 
talion property. 

Battalion  disembarked,  marched  to  Pontonezen  barraclvs. 

In  barracks  at  Pontonezen  where  men  washed  clotlur.u-  and 
bathed. 

Practice  march,  about  seven  juiles. 

Entrained  at  Brest  11:30  a.  m.  Arrived  at  the  present  sta- 
tion (Savenay)  ^March  12th. 

Billettiug  and  establishing  camp. 

Entire  Hattalion  engaged  in  construction  of  new  telephone 
and  telegraph  line.  Ordering  material  and  tools,  hauling  and 
distributing  nuiterial,  framing  and  haiding  poles,  surveying 
and  staking  line,  and  obtaining  light  of  wav. 


KECOHD  OF  A.  E.  F.  Wol^K  139 

April,  1918 

Headquarters  and  sni)ply  estal)lislH'd  at  Savciia.w 

Company  D  headtiuarters  estahlislicd  at  Sa\;'iia\-.  ( 'oni- 
pany  eniia.ued  in  completing'  snrvcy  of  telegraph  and  tele- 
phone linr  from  Le  C'ornais  on  hiiiliway  \ia  l^ovcc  and  Lavaii 
to  a  point  approxijnately  three  miles  east  of  Monloii-,  1  hence 
along-  right-of-way  of  P.  0.  railroad  via  Montoii-  Id  St.  Xa- 
zaire,  a  total  distance  of  ap]>]'oximati'ly  1!)  miles.  Holes  were 
dng  and  poles  eo]ni)letely  eqnipj)ed  for  lO-wire  lead  set.  A 
second  cross  arm  was  placed  on  i)ole  lead  from  ^loiitoir  to  St. 
Nazaire  to  take  care  of  local  circuits.  This  is  a  distance  of  ap- 
proximately fonr  and  one-half  miles.  In  addition  to  above  the 
necessai-y  arrangements  Avith  reference  to  right-of-way  were 
made  as  line  proceeded:  an  interpreter  arranging  with  the 
Fren(di  inhabitants  and  explaining  each  thing  that  was  done 
in  order  that  a  spirit  of  friendliness  and  helpfnlin'ss  with  them 
might  be  established  and  maintained.  Trees  trinnned  along  en- 
tire line  so  as  to  provide  i)roper  clearance.  Sni-\e\-  ol'  leu-  from 
Lavau  to  Savenay  made — a  distance  of  ai)proximately  fonr 
miles. 

Company  E  heachpiarters  established  at  St.  Ktieiine.  Com- 
pany engaged  in  com[)leting  snrvey  of  telegra])li  and  t(dei)hone 
line  from  Le  Cornais  on  highway  via  St.  Etienne,  Coveron  and 
St.  llerblain  to  a  point  on  the  right-of-way  of  the  \\  < ).  railroad, 
known  as  Roche  ]Manrice  Crossing;  thence  along  said  right-of- 
way  to  connect  with  pole  line  of  the  Postes  Telciiraph  and  Tele- 
l)hone,  a  total  distance  of  approximately  111  miles;  thence  on 
P.  T.  &  T.  pole  .line  to  signal  office  at  No.  P'  l>nc  de  Sebastai)o!e. 
Nantes,  an  approximate  distance  of  two  and  one-half  unJes. 

Holes  were  dng  and  poles  completely  e<|nippei|  foi-  Id-wire 
lead  set. 

Same  care  exercised  as  to  dealings  with  KrtMudi  iidiabit- 
ants  as  indicated  in  report  on  T)  Comj^any. 

Trees  trimmed  along  eidii'e  i-iglit  <d'  way  so  as  to  pro\ide 
proper  clearance. 

Kecomniendations:  The  personiud  of  this  Pattalion  is  com- 
posed of  men  qualified  to  do  the  (dass  of  work  in  whiidi  now 
engaged — which  we  believe  is  the  woi-k  (■ontenii)lated  for  l»ase 


140 


:\rE:\r(3RiER  of  the  "4iith" 


line  siii'iial  troops  as  outlined  in  Signal  Corps  Drill  Re.uulation 
VM7.  Part  VI.  However,  the  entire  training-  period  of  this  Bat- 
talion was  consumed  in  training'  for  the  duties  of  a  telegraph 
])attalion,  I  l)elieve  more  efficient  i-esults  could  l)e  obtained  if 
more  time  during'  training  jx^riotl  were  devoted  to  the  training 
of  men  as  to  construction  methods,  line  worlc,  etc.  If  the  tele- 
graph l)attalions  were  given  this  additional  training  they  would 
be  qualified  to  do  either  base  line  or  telegraph  battalion  duties. 
Telegraph  operators  and  specially  qualified  signalmen  should 
l)e  trained  separately  and  furnished  telegraph  battalions  as 
required. 

The  working  strength  of  this  Battalion  is  approximately 
80  per  cent  of  that  contemplated  in  tables  of  organization.  This 
is  due  to  absentees  on  detached  service.  If  this  plan  is  to  be 
continued,  it  is  recommended  that  the  strength  of  each  com- 
pany be  increased  by  25  additional  men.  The  present  strength 
of  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers  is  sufficient  to  care 
for  this  increase. 

May,  1918 

The  duly  performed  by  the  411th  Telegraph  Battalion  dur- 
ing the  month  of  May  was: 

Completed  construction  of  a  10-wire  toll  lead  from  Xantes 
to  St.  Nazaire,  including  the  placing  of  all  transposition  and 
phantom  l)rackets. 

Five  circuits  of  No.  17  bronze  wii'c  strung  on  second  cross 


RECORD  OF  A.  E.  F.  WORK 


141 


anil  from  Moiitoir  to  St.  Na/aire,  a  distance  of  approximately 
five  miles. 

Leg'  from  Lavan  to  Savenay,  a  distance  of  approximately 
four  miles  eonstnicted,  ten  pine  crossarms  jilaeed  thereon.  Two 
circuits  of  Xo.  12  copper  looped  on  Ijavau-Savenay  leg  and  all 
transposition  and  phantom  brackets  placed. 

A  22  pail-  Xo.  14  duplex  cable  was  constructed  from  tei-m- 
inal  i)ole  in  St.  Nazaire  to  switchboard  to  care  for  fi\-e  toll  line 
circuits  and  five  local  circuits  to  Montoir  with  two  extra  pair 
to  care  for  trouble.  Toll  circuits  on  Savenay  leg  carried  into 
switchboard  at  Base  Hospital  No.  8  by  duplex  cable. 

Toll  test  panel  installed  in  Signal  Office  at  Xantes,  and  toll 
circuits  brought  into  same  by  duplex  cable. 

Before  turning  over  the  completed  job  of  the  Xantes-Si. 
Xazaire  and  Lavau-Savenay  toll  lines  to  operating  departiiuMil 
complete  tests  were  made  so  as  to  l)e  absolutely  sure  line  was 
free  of  all  trouble  or  interference.  Only  two  or  lliree  minor 
cases  of  trouble  were  found  (mostly  in  French  contact  pairs) 
and  after  this  trouble  was  eliminated,  line  talked  exceedinulx' 
well. 

After  completion  of  Xantes-St.  Xazaire  project,  acting  in 
accordance  with  orders  i-eceived  office  Oh  id'  Signal  Officer, 
arrangements  wei-e  made  to  siring  five  toll  circuits  on  the  leml. 
east  of  Nantes  to  Beaiipreau,  a  distance  of  approximalcly  11 
miles.  In  oivier  to  coiii|)lete  this  work  diiriiiL;  the  linie  spec 
ified  bv  office  Cliier  Siuiial  orficer  from  M;i\-  201  li  to  .M;i\-  2:)tli. 


142  MEMOKIES  OF  Tl I E  " 41 ITI I ' ' 

it  was  necessary  to  woi'k  from  daylight  until  dark.  AVork  was 
completed  and  lines  connected  throngh  to  Tours  at  3  :30  P.  ^I. 
Saturday,  jMay  25th. 

Time  from  May  25th  to  IMay  31st  consumed  in  moving  Bat- 
talion to  new  station  at  Versailles. 

June,  1918 

Duties  performed  by  the  411th  Telegraph  Battalion  during 
the  month  of  June,  1918. 

Headquarters  and  Company  "E"  established  at  Camp 
Satory,  Versailles.  Company  "D"  established  at  French  ar- 
tillery barracks,  St.  Germain  en  Laye. 

In  accordance  with  instructions  office  Chief  Signal  Officer, 
a  survey  of  a  24  wire  (4-6  pin  crossarms)  telegraph  and  tele- 
phone line  was  made  from  La  belle  Epine  to  Ham,  where  a 
.junction  was  to  be  made  with  the  British.  After  all  available 
routes  had  been  carefully  considered  it  was  recommended  that 
line  be  constructed  on  highway  and  that  we  build  .joint  with 
the  existing  French  lines  whenever  it  seemed  advisable  to  do 
so.  This  plan  was  approved  by  office  Chief  Signal  Officer. 
Accordingly  liiu^  was  surveyed  along  highway  from  La  belle 
Epine  to  Ham,  a  distance  of  approximately  331/.  miles.  After 
preliminary  survey  was  completed,  the  405th  Telegraph  Bat- 
talion M^as  ordered  on  job  to  construct  that  portion  of  line  be- 
tween Versailles  and  La  belle  Epine,  a  distance  of  approxi- 
mately 12  miles.  Field  notes  containing  preliminary  survey  of 
this  portion  of  line  turned  over  to  ALijor  Kick,  commanding  the 
lOCth  Telegraph  Battalion. 

Arrangements  were  made  with  the  French  Poste  T.  &  T. 
to  furnish  the  necessary  fixtures  for  the  purpose  of  placing 
their  wires  on  such  portions  of  the  lead  where  we  were  to  con- 
struct a  joint  lead.  Owing  to  a  scarcity  of  these  fixtures  same 
had  to  be  obtained  in  many  different  places,  necessitating  long 
hauls  l)y  motor  trucks.  Arrangements  also  made  for  obtaining 
necessary  poles  from  French  for  lead,  together  with  necessary 
wire  for  the  third  and  fourth  crossarms. 

Owing  to  contour  of  country  at  St.  Germain  and  difficul- 
ti(^s  whieh  eould  not  be  overcome  in  building  line  through  town, 
it  was  decided  to  use  cable  through  a   i-aih'oad  tunnel  at  this 


i{ECUUD  OF  A.  E.  F.   WUiilv  143 

])oiut.  This  obviated  the  necessity  of  ))uil(liiiu  li'ad  through 
the  forest  of  St.  Germain,  whicli  would  have  been  impracticable 
from  maintenance  standpoint.  The  necessary  special  toll  cable 
( 2-48:3  feet)  for  this  job  was  obtained  from  tlie  Fi-ciicli.  together 
'witli  necessary  fixtures,  terminal  boxes,  etc.,  for  its  installa- 
tion. 

The  highways  along  the  route  of  this  lead  arc  lined  on  both 
sides  i)y  at  least  two  rows  and  in  many  places  four  rows  of 
trees  for  practically  the  entire  distance.  For  this  reason,  it 
was  found  necessary  to  move  French  lead  in  most  instances  to 
provide  proper  clearance. 

Pole  line  equipped  with  four  6-i)in  crossl)ars  was  construct- 
ed for  entire  distance  from  Versailles  to  railroad  crossing  at 
Conflans,  from  which  i)oint  to  Ilam  (junction  point  with  T^rit- 
isli),  a  distance  of  approximately  four  miles,  three  arms  were 
placed.  A  total  of  approximately  300  ])oles  of  ne^x  construc- 
tion was  placed  in  this  lead.  New  poles  Avere  also  placed 
Avhere  French  poles  Avere  defective.  Spans  in  French  lead  were 
replaced  Avhere  necessary  and  entire  lead  moved  and  strength- 
ened as  conditions  Avere  found  necessary.  (Juying  of  entire 
lead  completed. 

'I'welve  wires  of  No.  12  172  11).  coi)i)er  placed  on  1st  and 
2nd  crossarms.  TavcIvc  Avires  of  French  Avire  (approximately 
15,")  11).  copper)  placed  on  3rd  and  4th  crossarms  in  accordance 
Avith  instructions  office   Chief  Signal  Officer. 

Tree  trimming  over  entire  lead  completed. 

405th  Telegraph  Battalion  replaced  by  403rd  Telegi-aph 
Battalion  on  A^ersailles-La  belle  Epine  ])ortion  of  line,  on  -lune 
24tli.  Such  nu)tor  (Mjuipment  and  tools  as  could  be  spai'ed  were 
turned  over  to  them  and  such  assistance  as  possible  Lziveii  them 
in  getting  started  to  Avork. 

Instructions  received  office  Chief  Signal  Officer  as  to 
buildings  for  sAvitching  office  and  installation  of  crpiiimuuit 
tlierein  at  La  belle  Epine.  ]*reliminary  sui-veys  made  and  ai'- 
rangements  for  o])taining  nuderial  and  ('(piipnieiil  beuuii. 

i^ortion  of  liiU'  assigned  tliis  Battalion  from  N'ei-sailles  to 
ITam  completed,  except  the  [ilacing  of  t i'ans])osit ion  bi-aclcets 
and  a  small  amount  of  (deaiung  U|t.  I'laciiiL;  of  transposition 
brackets  dela\'ed   accoinit   same   iu)t   beitm   a\ailal»lc.      Insti'uc- 


144 


.AiE.MoiHKs  OK  THE  ••4nTir' 


tioiis  were  received  from  ot'fiee  Chief  Siuiial  Officer  that  this 
line  should  l)e  eoiiipleted  by  June  8()th.  Tn  ordoi'  to  accomplish 
this  result  it  had  been  necessary  to  work  the  entire  Battalion 
from  six  A.  M.  to  nine  P.  J\I.  for  last  ten  days  of  month. 

July,  1918 

July  1st  to  6th  enuau'cd  in  the  i)lacin^-  of  ti'atispositiou 
brackets  on  24  wire  lead  from  Versailles  to  contact  with  Brit- 
ish at  Ham.  This  work  not  completed  ])y  June  ^-JOth,  owinu-  to 
fact  that  transposition  bi-ackets  not  available.  (Hrcuits  in  this 
section  of  the  lead  were  also  tested  out  with  l>ritish  and  their 
Marines  test  station,  and  miscellaneous  cleanup  work  done 
dnrinp'  this  ])eriod. 

July  7th  to  l;5th  line  ci-ews  of  the  Battalion  assigned  to 
assist  the  4()8rd  Telegraph  l^attaliou  in  sti'inuiim  wirt>  between 
Versailles  and  La  belle  Epine. 

July  (ith  to  '21  ap])i'oxiuu»tely  25  nuui  of  Company  E  en- 
pa.ued  in  the  construction  of  an  operating'  room,  ^iarage  and 
barracks  at  La  belle  E])in(\  Tlu^  exchange  building  was  eon- 
strneted  of  the  Adrian  bari-ack  lumber  furnished,  and  in  order 
to  provide  proper  clearance  for  the  equipnu^nt  to  be  placed,  it 
was  deemed  advisable  to  eonstrnct  the  building  two  feet  high- 
er than  regulation  Adrian  barracks.  A  concrete  floor  was  laid 
in  this  building  with  a  slab  of  concrete  8  inches  thick  (1-3-5 
mixtui'ci    aiul   a   finish   one   inch   thick-    (1-21-    nnxture).      The 


RECORD  OF  A.  K.  F.  \\n\U\ 


145 


roof  ajul  sitles  of  this  operating  room  were  covered  with  tar 
roofing-  paper  9  inches  in  thickness.  A  three  inch  clearance 
Avas  .provided  beyond  the  outside  edges  of  the  wooden  structure 
to  permit  the  construction  of  a  permanent  structure  around  the 
wooden  structure,  thus  providing  for  the  protection  of  the 
equipment.  This  wall  is  sufficiently  strong  to  support  a  sul)- 
stantial  two  story  structure.  The  garage  and  barracks  were 
erected  of  the  Adrian  barrack  material  furnished,  reinforced 
in  the  weak  places  so  as  to  assure  the  structure  standing  up 
under  the  heavy  wind  and  rain  storms  which  are  of  more  or 
less  frequent  occurence  in  this  locality.  An  engine  base  of  con- 
crete was  i)laced  in  the  garage  and  two  storage  battery  chai'g- 
ing  and  two  lighting  sets  mounted.  A  part  of  the  plan  of  t!u' 
La  belle  Epine  office  pro.ject  involved  the  use  of  the  F'reiu-h 
underground  cable  from  this  i)oint  to  Paris.  I'eniiission  was 
obtained  from  them  to  build  a  uumhole  directly  across  the  road 
from  the  operating  building.  A  trench  Avas  tunneled  luuler 
the  highway  to  the  proposed  disti-ibuFiug  fi'amc  in  the  oi)erat- 
ing  building  and  four  single  tile  ducts  laid  in  this  trench,  Avhicli 
was  two  feet  wide,  with  a  foui-  inch  layci-  of  conci-ete  undei'- 
neath,  aiul  a  two  iucli  hiyer  over  the  lilc  The  dncts  wci-e  Inir- 
ied  approximately  one  meter  a1  lln-  entrance  of  tlie  exchange 
and  graded  down  to  a  deptli  of  two  meters  at  llu'  uuinlu^h'. 
Three  sei-tions  of  cable  were  pulled  in.  The  manhole  was  cov- 
ered   with    a    sial>    7    inches   thick    of   coni-i-ct  e.      Tlie    nccessjiry 


14(j  ME.MOKIES  OF  THE  '-^llTir" 

duet  runs  were  also  provided  from  the  cable  frame  to  the  dis- 
tributing frame,  to  the  engine  room  where  the  power  plant  is 
to  be  located  and  to  other  points  where  it  was  apparent  they 
Avould  be  required.  In  order  to  provide  a'  temporary  switch- 
ing- and  test  station  a  toll  test  panel  was  installed  in  a  building 
across  the  street,  the  circuits  from  La  belle  Epine  lead  being 
brought  into  this  ()anel  ami  thence  to  the  undergrouud  cable 
by  tAvisted  pair. 

July  the  13th  tlu'  Battalion  moved  station  Versailles  and 
St.  Grermain  to  Boissey  St.  Leger  and  Brie  Comte  Robert,  "D" 
Company  being  established  at  the  latter  place  and  Headquar- 
ters and  "E"  Company  at  Boissy  St.  Leger. 

July  lilth  to  July  L'Tth  Battalion  engaged  in  the  survey  and 
construction  of  a  10  wire  lead  from  La  belle  Epine  to  the  east 
limits  of  Guigues.  a  distance  39  kilometers.  The  work  com- 
pleted on  this  line  up  to  July  27th  is  as  follows:  La  belle  Epine 
to  Villecresues — holes  dug  and  poles  set  to  stakes  No.  336  with 
the  exception  of  8  poles  between  245  and  254  and  14  poles  in 
the  village  of  Brevgues.  Crossarms  placed  to  ])ole  Xo.  169. 
Guys  placed  to  pole  No.  136.  Villacresnes  to  Guignes — 597 
poles  crossarmed  (complete  and  delivered  to  stake)  ;  274  holes 
dug  and  poles  set;  29  guys  placed  approximately  50%  of  tree 
trimming  completed. 

Acting  in  accordance  with  ().  C.  S.  ().,  a  surveying  crew 
was  furnished  for  the  purpose  of  surveying  and  staking  lead 
from  east  limits  of  Guignes  to  Provins — portion  of  Chaumont- 
Paris  lead  to  be  erected  by  the  416th  Ry.  Tel.  Bn.  Complete 
survey  made  and  field  books  furnished  to  the  416th ;  also  trans- 
position data  sent  to  office  Chief  Sigiud  (3fficer. 

On  July  19tli  the  last  section  of  lines  on  the  La  belle  Epine- 
Ham  lead  was  turned  over  as  completed.  Acting  with  accord- 
ance 0.  C.  S.  0.  arrangements  were  made  to  make  tlie  necessary 
tests  with  the  British  at  ^Marines  to  determine  if  the  circuits 
were  all  in  the  clear  and  ready  for  cut  over.  Upon  making  tests 
it  appeared  that  there  must  be  some  transposition  errors  and  a 
crew  of  engineers  and  linemen  Avere  sent  over  the  line  for  the 
purpose  of  checking.  A  large  numl)er  of  errors  and  faults  Avere 
found  and  a  crcAv  of  16  linemen  put  on  to  clear  same.  Work 
Avas  completed  on  July  24th  and  ai'rangenu'Uts  iiuule  Avith  Brit- 


RECORD  OF  A.  E.  F.  WOlJiv  147 

ish  to  cut  over  the  circuits  at  noon,  July  ^.Ith.     'I'his  dati'  was 
kept  and  circuits  cut  into  service  that  aftei-noon. 

.  July  29th  Battalioii  moved  fi-oni  Boissey  St.  L(\i;pr  and 
Brie  Comte  Robert  to  Headquarters  1st  Arniy.  July  :5()11i  and 
81st  consumed  in  cleanin<>'  up  billets  and  ^ettino'  settled  in  saiiU'. 

August,  1918 

August  1st  to  8th  stationed  at  La  Ferte.  Company  "E"  en- 
gaged in  surveying-,  staking  and  digging  hoh^s  for  a  toll  line 
from  La  Ferte  to  Chateau-Thiei-ry.  Balance  of  company  en- 
gaged in  making-  telephone  installations  at  Ileadcpuirters  1st 
Army  and  the  iu:^cessarv  work  in  switchboard  room.  Men  also 
assigned  to  take  care  of  trouble  and  act  as  wire  chiefs  and 
switchboard  men.  Gloved  detachment  18  men  and  one  officer 
Company  "D"  to  Chateau-Thierry  for  i)urpose  of  making- 
switchboard  installation.  Installed  switchboard  and  establish- 
ed telegraph  office.  Balance  of  Company  D  engaged  in  biuld- 
ing  several  small  lance  pole  lines  and  testing  out  French  eir- 
circuits  on  railroad  from  La  Ferte  to  Chateau-Thierry.  August 
6th  moved  balance  of  Company  "D"  to  Chateau-Thierry,  en- 
gaging them  in  the  installation  of  telephones  in  Chateau  Thierry 
and  the  building  and  maintenance  of  lines  to  1st  and  3rd  Corps 
headquarters.  August  9th  moved  Headquarters  and  Company 
''E"  to  Chateau-Thierry.  August  9th  and  12th  engaged  in  sur- 
veying and  laying  out  contemplated  toll  line  i"out(^s  from  Cha- 
teau-Thierry north  to  Fare-en-Tardenois  and  Coulongs.  Part 
of  plan  involved  using  abandoned  German  pole  liiu^s  in  this 
territory  and  French  lead  along  raili'oad  fi'om  Chateau-Thierry 
to  Armentieres. 

August  12th  and  18tli  consumed  in  moving  entire  Bat- 
talion overland  by  motor  transportation  from  Chateau-Thierry 
to  Neufchateau  as  per  par.  1,  S.  O.  32,  Hq.  1st  Army.  Company 
"D"  upon  arrival  was  sent  direct  to  Colombey-les-Belles.  Au- 
gust 14th  to  17th  detachment  of  six  men  Company  "E"  en- 
gaged in  maintenance  work  Neufchateau. 

August  15tli  moved  llcachiuartci-s  and  "F/"  Company  to 
Vaucouleurs. 

August  17th  to  August  28tli  CoMipauy  ■■[)■■  engaged  iti 
making-    switchboard    installalion    at     Artillei-y     I  lead(|uai'1  ers. 


148 


:\rEMORIES  OF  THE  "411TH" 


Xeiifc'hateau,  an  additional  section  of  switcliboard  at  Colom- 
bey-les-Belles  and  switehliOard  for  ^Meteorological  Bnrean  at 
latter  place  and  snrveying-,  staking  and  constructing-  a  16  Avire 
Repp  lead  from  Toul  to  Saizerais,  a  distance  of  approximately 
18.2  kilometers.  This  lead  Avas  built  on  private  right-of-way 
from  No.  150  to  200  yards  from  highway,  poles  placed  132  feet, 
storm-guyed  every  12  poles,  double  crossarms  at  all  storm-guy 
poles,  test  pole  placed  in  center  of  line,  poles  graded  to  uni- 
form length  of  5%  meters,  3  meters  being  used  at  all  railroads 
and  road  crossings  where  possible  to  obtain,  poles  set  4  feet  in 
ground.  Extremely  difficult  digging  was  experienced  on  this 
job,  formation  being  a  very  heavy  shale  rock,  necessary  to 
blast  about  one-third  of  holes. 

August  17th  to  August  31st  "E"  Company  engaged  in 
making  switchboard  installations  at  Void  and  Ligny — one  ad- 
ditional section  of  50  line  board  being  installed  at  latter  place. 
Installation  of  telephone  lines  made  at  Headquarters  of  1st 
Army  and  a  sufficient  crew  established  for  the  proper  main- 
tenance and  construction  of  all  work  at  1st  Army  Headquarters. 
Balance  of  "E"  Company  during  this  period  engaged  in  sur- 


RECORD  OF  A.  E.  F.  AVORK  149 

veyiiig',  staking  and  eonstruetiiig  a  16  wire  lead  from  A^oid  to 
Ligny,  a  distance  of  approximately  25  kilometers.  Lead  eon- 
strneted  on  the  same  specifications  as  Toul-Saizerais  line  as 
detailed  in  Par  .1.  Same  type  of  digging  experienced  and  nec- 
essary to  blast  abont  one-third  of  holes.  Material  for  this  work 
all  had  to  be  hanled  from  Tonl,  a  distance  of  30  to  50  kilo- 
meters. 

Angnst  28th  moved  "D"  Company  to  camps  along  high- 
way near  Void  and  ]\lenil-la-]\lofgne  to  assist  in  completing 
A^oid-Ligny  lead.  Angnst  31st  received  instrnctions  to  station 
"D"  Company  at  Void.  Angnst  29th  and  30th  three  wire  de- 
tachments of  "D"  Comj)any  strung  2  No.  12  copper  circuits  on 
existing  lead  from  Void  to  Vaucouleurs,  a  distance  of  6.7  miles. 
Transposition  brackets  placed  and  circuits  phantomed.  Au- 
gust 29th  moved  Headquarters  and  "E"  Company  to  St.  Aubin. 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

From  observation  it  is  apparent  that  little  attention  is 
given  to  the  training  of  telephone  operators  in  field  and  t-ele- 
graph  battalions.  Under  present  conditions  good  telephone 
operators  are  equally  important  as  telegraph  operators.  Full 
efficiency  cannot  be  obtained  from  circuits  when  the  operating 
force  is  untrained  and  inefficient.  It  would  be  my  reconnnen- 
dation  that  the  training  of  telephone  operators  (male)  be  given 
most  careful  attention,  and  officers  also  trained  for  their  su- 
pervision. If  officers,  provided  with  definite,  well  defined  writ- 
ten traffic  instructions,  could  be  trained  for  duty  and  detailed 
in  si)ecific  areas,  the  volume  of  business  which  could  l)e 
handled  over  existing  circuits  would  be  very  gi-eatly  increased 
and  the  satisfactory  service  obtained  of  imnuMise  \;iluc. 

The  Avork  of  a  telegraph  battalion  is  such  tluit  they  nnist  of 
necessity  move  from  place  to  place  very  often:  the  saving  of 
transposition  is  a  very  great  factor,  and  a  sufficient  nnnibei'  of 
pyramidal  tents  should  be  provided  to  house  the  enliri'  bat- 
talion. Small  sections  could  then  be  camped  in  \icinity  of  work 
and  more  efficiency  gained.  In  sunnner  months,  shelter  luihcs 
can  be  used  to  advantage,  but  during  winter  months  they  will 
not  i)i-ove  adequate  for  working  parties.  Tin-  nio\  iiu:  into  and 
out  of  billets  takes  tinn?  and  the  sanit;iry  conditions  is  an  im- 


150  . 


:\rEMORiEs;  of  the  "41itii 


portant  factor  to  be  always  kept  in  mind.  It  is  recommended 
that  snfficient  tentage  be  added  to  eqnipment  of  telegraph  bat- 
talions to  provide  shelter  for  entire  organization. 

It  is  most  nrgently  recommended  that  the  motor  transpor- 
tation as  called  for  in  Tables  of  Organization  be  i^rovided  tele- 
gi'aph  battalions.  Keeping  transi)ortation  in  running  order  un- 
der the  conditions  which  pi'evail,  is  difficnlt  and  full  effi- 
ciency of  the  organization  cannot  be  obtained  if  the  full  ciuota 
of  motor  vehicles  is  not  sui)plied. 

September,  1918 

September  1st  to  September  11th  built  standai'd  (i-ai'm  h^nl 
fi-om  Ligny  to  Xaix,  approximately  (S  kilometers,  and  rel)uilt 
oUl  i)ole  line  from  Xaix  to  a  point  just  north  of  Demange,  a 
distance  of  appi'oxiinately  8  kilometers,  on  (iondrecourt-Liuny 


RECORD  OF  A.  E.  F.  WOJJK  151 

road.  Three  No.  12  copper  eirenits  were  struno'  the  entire  dis- 
tance and  one  8-pin  Repp  arm  placed  Avith  No.  19  hronze  to  care 
for  existino-  eirenits.    The  work  was  completed  Sei)teml)er  11th. 

From  September  the  6th  to  September  the  8tli.  l)uill  two 
Xo.  19  bronze  circuits  on  -l-pin  crossarms  on  French  lead  fi-om 
Ligny  to  ^lanlan,  a  distance  of  approximately  5  kilometers. 

Septembei-  lOth  to  14th  built  a  32-Avire,  4-8  ])in  Repp  arm 
lead  from  Ligny  to  AVilleroncourt,  approximately  5  kilometei's. 

September  8th  to  9th,  placed  one  8-pin  Repp  arm  on  exist- 
ing' lead  from  Moulinneuf  with  four  No.  19  bronze  circuits  1o 
Boucq,  a  distance  of  approximately  5  kilometers. 

September  lOth  and  11th,  i)laced  one  8-pin  Repp  crossai'iu 
and  strung  four  No.  19  bronze  circuits  on  existing  lead  from 
Void  to  Pogny,  approximately  7  kilometers. 

September  13th  to  17th,  built  pole  line  with  two  8-piii 
crossai'ms  and  eight  No.  19  bronze  circuits  from  Mouliinieuf  to 
Raml)ecourt,  a  distance  of  approximately  11  kilometers.  One 
circuit  of  this  lead  extended  on  to  ]\Iont  Sec  by  lance  pole  con- 
struction, a  distance  of  approximately  6  kilometers. 

September  12th  to  16th,  extended  from  French  pole  lead 
from  Rupp  to  St.  ]\Iihiel,  a  distance  of  appi'oxinuitely  10  kilo- 
meters. Seven  circuits  were  strung  on  this  {)ole  lead,  using 
French  equipment  and  material,  except  about  100  poles  and  7-"') 
kilometers  of  wire  which  we  furnished. 

Foregoing  comprises  principal  work  performed  from  Sep- 
tember 1st  to  September  16th.  However,  during  this  period  a 
great  many  smaller  jobs  were  performed  such  as  stringing 
twisted  pair  to  connect  with  existing  circuits,  installing  tele- 
phones, surveying,  testing  and  clearing  ti'ouble  on  existing 
French  circuits,  maintaining  the  whole  i)lant  and  other  neces- 
sary work  incidental  to  a  telephone  and  telegrai)h  battalion. 

September  17th,  moved  Headquarters  and  "E"  (Company 
from  St.  Aubin  and  "U"  Company  from  Void  to  Lemnies.  en- 
tire battalion  taking  station  at  lattei-  ])oint. 

Se])tember  18th,  began  inslallalion  of  two  r)0-line  inauiielo 
switchboards  at  Souilly,  together  with  a  roll  lest  switchboard. 
Began  installation  of  telephones  reipiii'eil  Ity  (iei)ai-tments. 

Se])tenibei-  ISth.  sui'veyed  and  staked  a  Ki-wire  iJepp  b-ad 
fi'om  Osches  to  .Julvecoiirt ,  a  distance  of  ai)pro\ini;it ely  4  l;ilo- 


152  MEMOKIES  (JF  THE  '-411X11" 

meters.  Seventy  holes  were  dui;  when  orders  were  received  to 
abandon  project. 

September  l!)th,  two  40-1  iuc  switclil)oards  installed  at 
Evres. 

Sei)teniber  22nd,  2U-line  switchl)oard  installed  at  Froidos, 
eonsolidatinu'  lines  which  hatl  previonsly  been  served  on  three 
small  switchboards. 

Sei)tember  24th,  work  be.yan  on  construction  of  Repp  lead 
from  Bois  Fouuheres  to  ^lontfancon,  a  distance  of  approxi- 
mately 15  kilometers;  four  circuits  to  be  placed  on  crossarms 
and  two  circuits  knobbed  on  poles.  Owing  to  bad  condition  of 
roads  and  extremely  heavy  traffic  on  same,  it  was  not  possible 
to  haul  material  fartluu-  than  Avocourt,  the  poles  and  other  ma- 
terial for  this  7  kilometers  of  line  from  Avocourt  to  ^lontfau- 
con  being  carried  in  by  man  power.  Work  of  this  lead  to  be 
completed  night  of  October  the  2nd. 

September  28th,  12-line  switchboard  installed  at  Fleury. 

The  work  detailed  above  constitutes  principal  construction 
work  performed  for  period  September  18th  to  September  30th. 
However,  there  had  been  15  other  small  jobs  in  the  nature  of 
stringing  twisted  pair  to  provide  network  for  Army  lities  in 
conjunction  with  existing  French  lines. 

Army  lu^work  of  lines  maintained  from  Headquarters 
1st  Army  to  Corps  Headquarters,  together  with  necessary  de- 
tails to  handle  maintenance  of  outside  and  inside  plants  at 
Souilly  and  Ligny. 

October,  1918 

Completed  8-circuit  Repp  lead  from  Bois  Foucheres  to 
Montfaucon,  a  distance  of  approximately  15  kilometers.  1)egan 
on  Septeml)er  24th,  supervising  distribution  of  circuits  to  Fifth 
Corps. 

Built  S-circuit  Repp  lead  from  A'^ery  to  Ivoiry,  a  distance 
of  api)roximately  5  kilometers.  This  woi-k  Avas  performed  un- 
der extremely  bad  road  conditions  and  a  greater  portion  of 
material  had  to  be  carried  in  by  nmn  power. 

Lead  of  8  circuits  built  fi'om  Anbreville  to  Dombasle,  a 
distance  of  0  kilometers.  This  lead  jiarallels  the  Verdun-Cler- 
mout   national   liiiihwaA-  and   raili-oad.      Owinu'  to  shortage  of 


TN^:("OT^T)  OF  A.  E.  F.  WORK  153 

poles  and  Kepp  material,  it  was  decided  1o  iitili/.c  llic  former 
P^reneli  railroad  lead.  This  pole  line  had  been  considerably 
damaged  by  shell  fire  and  bombing  raiding  parties  :  howevei-.  by 
a  redistribntion  of  the  availal)le  French  brackets  and  obtaining 
additional  lyrackets  from  the  French,  we  Avere  abb'  to  rj-con- 
struct  approximately  two-thirds  of  the  distance  of  the  lead. 
Remaining  portion  of  lead  constructed  by  placing  two  8-pin 
Eepp  arms  on  existing  poles  along  railroad  highway. 

Lead  of  4  circuits  on  one  6-pin  Repp  arm  const I'ucted  on 
existing  French  i)ole  line  from  Dombasle  to  i^x'thhiinville,  a 
distance  of  approximately  5  kilometers. 

Constructed  eight  circuits  to  Repp  arm  pole  line  fi-om  a 
point  known  as  Test  Box  Xo.  5,  one  kilometer  south  of  Mont- 
faucon  to  Epinonville  via  Ivoiry,  a  distance  of  appi"Oximatel\" 
6  kilometers. 

Constructed  four  cii'cuits  one  Repp  arm  pole  lead  fi'om 
]\Iagazin  to  a  French  centi-al  located  west  in  woods  near  Post  de 
Bruyeres  to  an  artillery  P.  C,  located  just  north  of  Cumieres. 
Length  of  line  approximately  10  kilometers. 

Reconstructed  entrance  of  three  French  leads  inlo  Souilly 
so  as  to  permit  the  building  of  engineer's  barracks. 

Engineering,  set  poles  and  strung  messenger  for  outside 
cable  distributing  plant  at  Souilly. 

Relniilt  one  mile  of  a  2-arm  Repp  8-circuit  pole  line  just 
Avest  of  Bethlainville  so  as  to  provide  proper  clearance  for 
aeroplanes  on  ncAv  air  field  under  construction. 

Began  construction  of  lance  pole  omnibus  line  for  use  of 
road  engineers  from  Varrenes  to  Romagne :  nltimate  tcrmiiud. 
Landres  St.  Georges.  Line  completed  as  far  as  crossi-oads  en- 
tering- Gesnes,  where  work  had  to  he  suspended  aci-(»unt  enemy 
shell  fire. 

Continuation  of  2-ann  IJepp  lead  siu'veyed  froiii  poinl 
Avhere  lateral  lead,  mentioiuMl  in  Par.  G,  ends  at  Ei)in()nville  in 
geinu'al  northAvest  direction  of  (iesnes  and  J^andres  St.  Geoi-ges. 
Pole  lead  constructed  about  half  Avay  between  Epinonville  and 
Tbenuiin  Char])enf ry-Romagne  ronte  wliere  it  Joins  lioctie  pole 
line.     Work  susi)ended  at  this  point  for  present. 

The  foregoing  compi-ises  the  pi-ineipal  const  I'lict  ion  work 
c()iii|tleted  during  the  nu^ntli.  but    in  a(ldili<ni  there  has  been  a 


154 


^rE:\roT7iKs  of  the  "4nTii 


total  of  ai)|)i"oxiinately  16  small  jobs  in  tlie  natin'o  of  striiiuiiii!- 
twisted  pair  to  serve  aiiminnitioii  dumps,  etc.,  and  to  ])rovide 
tile  lines  for  eonneetino'  with  existinu'  French  lines  of  eommnn- 
ication. 

Survey  made  of  standard  10-pin,  two  erossarm  8-meter 
pole  lead  from  Souilly  to  Very,  a  distance  of  106,903  feet,  32.585 
Ivilometers  or  20.2  miles.  vSurvey  follows  as  near  as  possible  a 
straight  line  from  Souilly  to  point  just  north  of  Julvecourt 
where  it  crosses  the  highway  to  the  plateau  about  one-third  of 
a  kilometer  west  of  said  hijihway ;  thence  in  a  strai<iht  north- 
westerly direction  to  a  crossiuu*  of  the  Verdnn-Auhreville  high- 
way just  east  Aubreville;  thence  across  the  western  edge  of 
the  Forest  de  Hesse;  thence  in  practically  a  straight  northerly 
direction  to  Very.  Complete  field  notes  made  up,  together  with 
I'oute  map.  line  staked  and  ready  foi'  consti'uction  crews  to  stai"t 
work  as  soon  as  orders  are  issiunl. 

From  October  the  1st  to  October  the  15tli,  a  total  of  65 
men  of  "P]"  Company  of  this  oi'gani/ation  engaged  in   main- 


RECORD  OF  A.  E.  F.  AYORK     ^  155 

tenance  of  Army  network  of  lines  from  Ilcadcjnarters  First 
Army  to  Corps  Ileadcinai'ters,  to,uether  with  other  necessary 
details  to  handle  maintenance  and  installation  work  at  Sonilly 
and  Lig-ny.  On  the  latter  date,  tliis  work  was  taken  over  by 
the  319th  Field  Si^inal  Battalion.  Under  date  of  October  the 
25th,  details  were  i)laced  at  various  points  for  maintenance  of 
main  axis  lines  of  conimniiication,  consisting-  of  a  total  of  20 
men. 

November,  1918 

Rerouted  !J  circuits  No.  17  copper  from  railroad  right-of- 
way  to  main  road  at  Dombasle  for  a  distance  of  20  spans. 

Reconstructed  8  circuits  No.  17  copper  from  Romagne  to 
Gesnes  and  4  circuits  Xo.  14  iron  for  40  spans  west  of  Gesjies. 

Reconstructed  8  circuits  No.  17  copper  on  German  lead 
from  point  half  way  between  Epinonville  and  Gesnes  to  Lan- 
dres  St.  (ieorges,  continuing  the  4  circuits  from  Landres  St. 
Georges  to  Nouart  by  way  of  Inunecourt,  Bayou ville,  Remon- 
ville  and  Barriconrt. 

Reconstructed  4  cii-cuits  Xo.  17  coi)pei-  on  (ierman  lead 
from  Buzancy  to  Xouart. 

Constituted  and  reconstructed  one  circuit  from  Regret  to 
r)ur-sur-i\Ieuse  along  railroad  for  railroad  operation  line,  also 
fi-om  Verdun  to  Varrennes  Tunnel,  placing  instruments  in  all 
railway  stations  and  installed  one  12-line  switchboard  in  (b'|)o1 
at  Verdun. 

Recovered  135,000  feet  of  No.  17  twisted  pair  wire  in  ('ha- 
tel  Chehery  and  on  road  from  Chatel  Chehery  to  Chatel  la 
Forge:  also  i-ecovei'ed  75,000  feet  of  main  axis  of  line  from  (Jes- 
nes  to  Landres  St.  Georges. 

The  foregoing  comprises  the  principal  consti'uction  work' 
comi)leted  during  the  month,  but  in  addition  there  has  l)een 
a  total  of  nine  small  .jobs  in  the  nature  of  string  twisted  pair 
foi"  local  installations. 

Detachment  of  30  men  from  Company  "E"  engaged  in 
maintenance  of  telephone  and  telegra])h  lines  from  Ville-snr- 
Cousa)ice  to  Nouart  and  on  load  fi'om  Cliep|)y  and  ivoii-y. 


156 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  "illTIl" 


December,  1918 

Coniiilyin^-  Avitli  iiisti'uetions,  Ohief  Signal  Officer.  1st 
Army,  a  two  circuit  lead  of  Xo.  17  lironze  wire  was  constructed 
from  Montigny-sur-Aube  to  La  Ferte-sur-Aube  from  which 
point  tlie  401st  Telegraph  Battalion  carried  construction  to 
Bar-sur-Aube.  The  total  length  portion  of  line  built  by  this 
battalion  was  1(3.5  kilometers ;  12  kilometers  of  same  built  on 
existing  French  pole  lead ;  the  remaining  four  and  a  half  kilo- 
meters constructed  by  placing  a  4-pin  Repp  arm  on  lance  poles. 
Lance  poles  were  spaced  at  100  feet ;  at  intervals  of  every  1000 
feet  "A"  fixtures  were  constructed  to  add  to  the  strength  of 
the  lead,  storm  guys  l)eing  also  placed  at  every  fifth  pole.  Phy- 
sical transpositions  were  placed :  the  portion  built  by  this  bat- 
talion making  one  complete  "A"  section  and  transposed  as  ou 
29-10  of  a  10-piii  arm  scheme. 

Entire  battalion  in  training  at  Fravaux  during  month ;  two 
hours  each  day  devoted  to  physical  exercise,  military  drill  and 
training,  and  tAvo  houi's  per  day  to  pistol  practice,  study  and 
motor  mechanics  school :  jn-actice  march  on  Fridays ;  liattalion 
inspection  on  Saturdays. 

Six  linemen  of  battalion  on  special  duty  at  Bar-sin--Aube 
during  month,  taking  care  of  telephone  installations,  mainten- 
ance, etc. 

During  month  a  total  of  30  men  and  4  officers  have  l)een 
sent  on  7  day  leave  of  absence. 

The  heavy  truck  equipment  of  this  organization,  consist- 
ing of  12  Oarfords,  8  Federals  and  2  Quads,  have  been  in  con- 
stant, continuons  service  since  IMarch.    All  of  these  trucks  were 


RECORD  OF  A.  E.  F.  WORK  157 

overhauled  during  month  and  placed  in  good  meehanieal  con- 
dition:  othei-  motor  vehicle  eqnipnient  also  being  ovei-liauled 
— Avork  still  in  progress. 

January,  1919 

Company  "E"  moved  to  Spoy  ( Anbe)  one  and  one-rpiarter 
kilometers  from  Fravanx,  Jannary  18tli,  1919. 

Entire  battalion  in  training  at  Fravanx  and  Spoy  diii'iiig 
month;  three  hours  each  day  devoted  to  physical  exercise,  mil- 
itary drill  and  training,  and  two  honrs  per  day  to  pistol  pi'ac- 
tice,  study  and  motor  mechanics  school.  Practice  march  on 
Friday  :  battalion  inspection  on  Saturdays. 

Six  linemen  of  battalion  on  special  duty  at  Bar-sur-Au1)e 
during  month,  taking  care  of  telephone  installations,  mainten- 
ance, etc. 

During  month  total  of  34  men  and  2  officers  have  been 
sent  on  leave. 

Preparations  made  to  comi)ly  with  embarkations  instruc- 
tions No.  13,  IT(j.  S.  0.  S.  by  properly  marking  baggage,  etc. 

February,  1919 

From  Fel)ruary  1st  to  February  the  2()th,  entire  battalion 
in  training  at  Fravanx  and  Spoy  during  month  ;  three  hours 
each  day  devoted  to  physical  exercise,  military  drill  and  train- 
ing, and  two  hours  per  day  of  pistol  practice,  study  in  motor 
mechanic  school;  practice  march  on  Fridays;  battalion  inspec- 
tion on  Saturdays. 

Six  linemen  of  battalion  on  special  duty  at  Bar-sur-Aube 
from  February  1st  to  February  20th,  taking  care  of  telephone 
installations,  maintenance,  etc. 

February  20th  entire  battalion  moved  to  ^lontlonis, 
(Indre-et-Loire)  as  per  Par  4,  S.  0.  3L.,  Hdcirs.  1st  Army, 
American  E.  F.  February  17th,  1919. 

February  22nd  to  February  28th  engaged  in  arranging  bil- 
lets, securing  ]Motor  and  Signal  Corps  equii)ment.  etc.,  pre- 
paratory to  functioning  again  on  active  duty. 

Engineering  detail  of  6  nuMi  engaged  fron)  Februaiy  22nd 
to  February  28th  in  chaining  and  preparing  accurate  field  notes 
of  toll  line  from  Tours  to  Gievres,  preparatory  to  repair  of 
same. 


XVII 
"FRANCE   AND   US" 

^T^FIE  writer  has  always  felt  that  if  he  ever  reached  the  actual 
point  of  tellinu  the  story  of  the  411th 's  participation  in 
the  World  AVar,  he  would  touch  upon  the  relationship  and  as- 
sociations of  the  American  soldier  and  the  French  people. 
(Generally  speaking',  he  believes  our  organization  established  as 
friendly  relations  with  the  various  French  people  with  whom 
we  came  in  contact  and  lived  amonu',  as  any  other  oroanization. 
And  yet,  the  writer  recalls  nuiny  instances  where  both  officers 
and  men  had  a  rather  querulous  attitude  toward  our  French 
friends ,  and  one  which  he  never  believed  was  justified. 
However,  he  always  had  the  feelinj^-  that  there  was  some  psy- 
chological reason  for  this  rather  universal  feeling'  among  the 
soldiers  of  the  A.  E.  F.  This  (luestion,  in  his  mind,  was 
very  satisfactorily  answered  by  the  reading  of  an  article  with 
the  same  heading  as  this  chapter  by  Will  Irwin  in  ^lay,  1919. 
Believing  that  the  view  of  the  matter  which  he  has  so  ably  pre- 
sented will  be  a  source  of  much  pleasure  and  gratification  to 
the  avei'age  uuiu  who  saw  foreign  service,  it  is  reprinted  here- 
with : 

He  was  standing  before  a  jeweler's  shop  in  the  Eue  de  la  Paix,  Paris 
pursuing  that  occupation  so  popular  with  the  American  Expeditionary 
Force,  "honeying"  the  diamond  rings  in  the  windows — a  tall,  lean, 
good-looking  youth  with  the  shoulder  straps  of  a  second  lieutenant.  I 
stepped  up  beside  him,  myself  attracted  by  the  glitter,  passed  a  remark 
or  so,  learned  that  he  came  from  West  Virginia,  and  asked  him  how- 
he  liked  it  over  here. 

"Like  it?"  he  said.  "You  got  the  wrong  word,  friend." 

' '  You  probably  will  if  you  stay  long  enough, ' '  said  I. 

He  faced  me. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  tell  nic  you  like  France!  ''  said  he. 

'I  sure  do!  ' '  said  I. 

"And  you  like  the  Freiu-h.'''  lie  asked. 

"And  the  French,"  said  1.  He  opened  his  mouth  as  though  to 
speak,  shut  it  again,  and  simply  walked  away.  What  was  the  use,  his 
manner  said,  of  arguing  with  a  lunatic? 

I  could  not  in  decency  have  reported  this  conversation  when  it  hap- 
pened, some  weeks  before  the  armistice.  But  the  time  has  come,  I  feel, 
to  face  a  certain   situation  if  we  are  ever  going  to  correct   it.     The  ex- 


"FJJAXCE  AM)  IS"  15!) 

trcmist  Echo  de  Paris,  the  Royalist  organ,  caine  out  with  it  the  other 
(lay  when  it  spoke  of  a  rift  between  the  French  and  tlie  Americans.  You 
cannot  correct  any  human  tangle  without  admitting  that  it  exists;  so  I, 
who  am  not  only  fond  of  France,  but  belie\e  in  lici-,  begin  by  admitting 
that  the  Echo  de  Paris  was  right. 

My  young  lieutenant  of  the  Eue  de  la  T'aix  was  an  extreme  case 
of  course.  Doubtless  he  would  have  felt  the  same  about  any  foreign 
country.  He  belonged  to  the  American  type  recorded  l)y  Jacques  Fu- 
trelle,  "who  looked  over  the  roofs  of  Paris  and  eouhin't  see  where  it  had 
anything  on  Paterson,  New  Jersey."  But  still  he  expressed  the  extreme 
of  a  feeling  that  has  grown  up  in  a  i)art  of  the  American  Expeditionary 
Force.  If  you  looked  only  on  the  surface,  if  you  considered  the  passing- 
moment  as  eternal  you  might  say  that  the  traditional  friendship  be- 
tween the  two  republics  stood  in  danger. 

France  is  our  counterpart  in  the  Old  World;  the  Fren(di  ideal  is  most 
near  to  our  ideal  of  any  on  the  other  side  of  the  water.  In  these  days 
when  we  are  trying  to  found  the  league  which  is  to  end  war  it  is  most 
important  that  the  two  republics  should  understand  one  another.  Tliiit 
is  why,  admitting  this  situation,  I  have  set  myself  first  to  explain  it,  the 
second  to  show  that  it  is  only  a  passing  phase. 

I  suppose  that  in  the  beginning  we  overplayed  France;  and  pi'cjliaidy 
the  writing  trade,  to  which  I  belong,  was  partly  at  fault.  But  it  was 
easy,  very  easy,  to  enthuse  over  France  in  the  days  of  her  trial  by  fire. 
The  national  peril  and  the  national  grief  had  purged  her  of  all  pettiness; 
her  men  were  heroes,  her  women  heroines.  We  who  saw  the  early  stages 
of  the  great  Eurojiean  struggle  knew  that  France  of  all  the  Great  Powers 
bore  the  smallest  responsibility  for  the  disaster,  as  Germany  bore  the 
greatest.  We  knew  that  she  drew  tlie  sword  reluctantly,  partly  to  save 
herself  from  extinction,  partly  to  fulfill  her  faith  to  her  ally — Russia; 
and  whatever  else  may  be  said  of  the  successive  French  governments 
they  ha\'e  always  been  distinguished  bv  tludr  fidelity  to  their  national 
obligations. 

France  in  arms  struck  you  always  with  pathos  as  well  as  admiration. 
To  this  day  the  sight  of  a  baggy,  ill-fitting  French  uniform  moves  me 
emotionally,  it  calls  up  so  nianf  memories,  heroic  and  ])athetic.  INFost  of 
all  I  remember  not  the  dramatic  moments  but  the  family  men  of  the 
French  Army  going  to  the  Gare  de  1 'Est  to  plunge  back  into  the  hell's 
kettle  of  ^'erdun.  That  baggy  uniform,  its  horizon  blue  turned  to  green 
by  the  weather,  was  hung  with  a  collection  of  junk — as  canteens,  haver- 
sacks, spare  lioots,  battered  helmet,  long  bayonet — which  made  the  wearer 
look  like  a  tin  peddler  rather  than  a  soldier.  In  one  hand  he  carried  his 
gun;  to  the  other,  usually,  clung  a  wife  trying  to  keep  back  her  tears, 
and  often  four  or  five  children  taggeil  ])ehind.  They  were  such  thorough 
democrats  under  the  uniform!  They  looked  what  they  were — plain  citi- 
zens forced  to  fight  for  their  homes;  and  fighting  like  tigers,  but  peace- 
ful farmers  or  paper  hangers  or  grocers,  not  soldiers,  by  nature  and  in- 
(dination.  There  was  a  glory  for  us  in  recalling  that  this  was  the  only 
republic  in  the  European  War,  and  that  it  was  the  military  backbone  of 
the  Alliance,  so  proving  that  a  republic  could  beat  a  monarchy  at  her 
own  game,  when  necessity  arose.  American  after  American  came  to 
France  in  those  days  Cjuite  calm  and  sui)erior-minded  about  the  war; 
and  the  heroism  and  suffering  of  France  turneil  him  into  a  jiartisan. 

That  feeling  as  the  United  States  swept  on  townid  war  communicated 
itself  to  the  country.  It  had,  of  course,  a  historic  background  to  work 
on — the  memory  of  Lafayette  and  Yorktown — and  the  republican  tradi- 
tion to  give  it  strength.  And  a  kind  of  a]>ologetic  reaction  helped.  For 
though  e\'ervone  who  has  studied   our  scdiool   liistoides   knows  that    Fi-aiice 


160  .MEAiUKlES  OF  TllK  ••411Tn" 

helped  us  in  the  Eevohitionary  War  the  popular  idea  of  Frauce  was  of  a 
frivolous  people — in  the  view  of  the  unco  guid,  even  an  immoral  x^eople. 

The  French  are  not  frivolous;  though  they  understand  the  art  of  re- 
laxing in  their  hours  of  ease  they  are  at  bottom  deadly  serious.  The 
French  are  no  more  or  less  immoral  than  their  Continental  neighbors; 
they  owe  that  old  reputation  partly  to  their  mental  habit  of  calling  a 
spade  a  spade,  partly  to  a  fashion  for  a  certain  kind  of  story  which  pre- 
A-ailed  in  French  literature  during  the  very  period  when  Victorian  ideals 
prevented  the  British  or  American  fictionist  from  calling  a  leg  a  leg. 
A  Story  of  Disillusionment 

In  the  light  of  this  new  revelation  on  French  character  we  grew 
ashamed  of  our  old  opinions  and  went  to  the  other  extreme,  as  Ameri- 
cans have  a  way  of  doing.  To  us,  at  the  moment  when  we  entered  the 
war,  every  Frenchman  was  a  Lafayette  or  a  Chevalier  Bayard. 

In  that  spirit  toward  France  we  entered  the  war.  The  average  Amer- 
ican boy  in  the  ranks,  who  volunteered  for  service  "to  help  save  Frauce," 
expected  to  see  at  the  pierhead  on  the  other  side  an  army  of  giants  drill- 
ing like  clockwork,  surrounded  by  ravishingly  beautiful  women  with  sad 
tearful  eyes,  who  would  hail  him  as  a  deliverer.  He  got  his  initial  disil- 
lusion at  the  docks  of  Bordeaux  or  Brest  or  St.  Nazaire,  when  the  first 
detachment  of  the  French  Army  burst  upon  his  sight.  Usually  this  was 
a  territorial  battalion,  doing  the  merely  mechanical  work  of  policing  the 
port  and  guarding  German  prisoners. 

The  territorials  are  men  between  thirty-eight  and  forty-five  years 
old,  and  therefore  inferior  as  first-line  troops;  they  are  used  only  in  a 
pinch  for  actual  front-line  fighting.  In  uniform  and  equipment  they 
usually  got  the  worst  of  it;  but  no  French  soldier  ever  gets  very  much 
the  best  of  it.  The  French  uniform  comes  in  only  three  sizes — large, 
medium  and  small.  It  seldom  exactly  fits  anyone.  Since  loose  clothing- 
is  more  comfortable  than  tight  the  welterweights  choose  middleweight 
uniforms,  and  the  light  heavies  heavyweight.  So  the  clothing  of  any 
French  detachment  always  looks  baggy.  Also,  since  France  was  obliged 
to  count  every  penny,  the  uniforms  abandoned  early  in  the  war  when 
France  took  to  protective  coloration  were  handed  over  to  the  territorials 
to  be  worn  out.  In  the  same  platoon  of  territorials  the  American  ob- 
server beheld  red  caps  incongruously  ranged  beside  horizon-blue  overseas 
caps.  The  territorial,  seeing  no  real  necessity  for  behaving  otherwise, 
was  shockingly  loose  about  drill  and  about  certain  points  of  military  eti- 
quette which,'  the  doughboy  had  been  taught,  were  essential  to  expert 
soldiering. 

Was  that  the  French  Army?  Were  these  the  heroes  of  Verdun? 
They  were,  literally.  Several  brigades  of  these  old  shambling  territorials 
found  themselves  in  the  trenches  before  Verdun  on  the  morning  of  Feb- 
ruary 21,  1916,  when  the  Germans  began  the  "bombardment  of  unheard- 
of  intensity"  and  launched  the  attack  which  was  to  make  the  Crown 
Prince  heir  of  a  world  empire.  They  gave  ground  against  the  very  flower 
of  the  German  Army,  but  they  did  not  break;  they  held,  these  middle- 
aged,  short-breathed  family  men,  until  France  could  get  up  her  reserves, 
organize  her  transport,  and  hold  before  the  Verdun  forts.  The  doughboy 
had  yet  to  learn — if  he  ever  did  learn — that  the  talent  of  the  French 
Army  is  not  for  drill  or  parade  or  military  etiquette,  but  just  for  fight- 
ing— fighting  with  intelligence,  with  bravery,  with  efficiency — fighting 
like  all  hell.  Even  when  his  military  experience  took  him  out  of  the 
territorial  belt  into  more  active  regions,  and  he  encountered  the  famous 
French  troops,  like  the  immortal  Twentieth  Corps,  the  doughboy  missed 
some  of  the  frills.  True,  such  troops  as  the  Twentieth  Corps,  having  the 
French   sjiirit   of  ilrama  and  behavior  aiii)ro]iriate  to  the  emergency,  can 


"FRANCE  AND  TS"  IGl 

put  up  a  uiost  impressive  appearance  of  military  snap  on  occasion,  such 
as  a  review  for  a  visiting  monarch  or  a  presentation  of  decorations.  But 
even  the  Twentieth  Corps  when  engaged  in  the  ordinary  business  of  get- 
ting from  place  to  place  can  look  like  Coxey's  Army. 

All  of  which,  rightly  understood,  is  a  compliment  to  the  Froncdi 
Army.  There  in  the  north  stood  Germany,  two-thirds  again  as  large  as 
France,  more  than  twice  as  rich,  and  growing  richer  every  day,  as  France, 
owing  to  the  hold-up  of  1871,  was  growing  poorer  every  day.  She  hail 
each  of  her  male  citizens  under  arms  for  two  years.  In  that  two  vears 
she  must  make  each  Frenchman  a  better  fighter  than  the  corresponding 
German — it  was  the  only  chance  she  had.  So  France  omitted  from  her 
military  program  all  fancy  evolution,  goose  step,  unnecessary  parade.  She 
taught  the  army  just  enough  of  fours-right  and  shoulder-arms  to  get  them 
without  unnecessary  confusion  to  the  ]ioint  where  they  were  needed — and 
no  more.  For  the  rest  she  taught  them  practical  fighting. 
Our  National  Deity  in  France 

The  French  officer  who  really  understood  his  business  took  little 
pride  in  seeing  his  company  move  as  one  man  on  the  parade  ground.  He 
gloried  in  the  fact  that  it  could  intrench  faster,  by  the  stop  watch,  than 
the  next  company  in  the  battalion;  or  that  it  had  been  complimented  by 
the  general  for  its  skill  in  taking  cover  during  maneuvers.  But  we  are 
looking  at  it  with  the  eye  of  the  average  doughboy.  He  had  seen  the 
French  Army;  and  he  had  a  feeling  somewhere  that  people  had  decei\'ed 
him. 

Nor  were  some  of  his  later  experiences  calculated  to  efface  that  im- 
pression. Perhajjs  we  admire  efficiency  too  much;  perhaps  the  French 
admire  it  too  little.  We  like  to  see  men — institutions  and  men — efficient; 
but  efficiency  strikes  the  average  Frenchman,  I  think,  as  a  mild  bore. 
It  has  to  be  practiced  now  and  then  of  course;  he  is  intelligent  enough 
to  see  that.  But  why  bother  about  efficiency  between  emergencies? 
Above  all,  why  struggle  to  give  the  appearance  of  efficiency? 

I  have  often  watched  with  amusement  the  different  ways  of  French 
and  British  transport,  which  are  i)robably  equally  efficient  in  a  pinch. 
While  resting  or  while  parked  the  British  driver  and  his  helper  were  al- 
ways doing  something  to  the  old  bus — washing,  even  painting,  polishing 
the  brass  of  the  hub  cabs  until  it  shone.  Beside  a  British  convoy  a 
French  convoy  looked  rather  disreputable.  The  truck  bodies  got  washed 
now  and  then — perhaps.  Usually  they  looked  dingy.  The  hub  caps  were 
never  polished.  But  when  the  Frencdi  driver  was  seen  toying  with  his 
car  he  was  busy  at  the  engine.  It  ran;  which  to  the  eye  of  the  French- 
man was  the  main  point.  That  and  a  thousand  other  little  points  wherein 
the  doughboy  could  discover  differences  between  Anglo-Saxon  ways  and 
French  ways  fooled  him. 

In  this  same  matter  of  transport  he  did  not  know  that  the  Freiudi 
organization  of  18,000  motor  trucks,  thrown  together  in  three  days,  sa\ed 
the  situation  at  Verdun;  nor  that  this  organization,  whii-h  workcil  like  a 
watch  for  six  months,  became  a  model  for  the  other  l^miipcan  annies. 
The  doughboy  watched  the  Frenchman  only  in  his  moments  of  hdsuridy 
work  between  action  and  action,  when  he  saw  no  reason  in  the  world  for 
keeping  u})  the  strain,  which  was  disagreeable  anyway  to  his  fi-ee,  artistic 
Latin  nature.  As  I  have  said,  possibly  we  make  too  niu(di  of  a  national 
god  of  efficiency;  the  average  memln'r  of  the  A.  10.  !•'.  watched  tlH>  S.  O. 
S.  of  the  French  Army  sloU(diing  al)out  and  thought  scornfully  of  French 
ways. 

The  American  soldier  landed  at  Hrcst.  say.  As  I  write  this  I  am 
looking  from  the  cabin  of  a  homeward-bound  trans|ioit  upon  Hrcst.  and 
I  have  seen  m.anv  more  attractise  snots  in  sunn\-   P'rancc.     .lust   now  it  is 


162  MEMOKIES  OF  THE  ■'411Tir'    . 

a  model  c-anip.  It  couldn't  be  a  model  camp  in  the  days  of  "  Huirv  ii]i, 
America!  "  when  we  were  straining-  every  nerve  to  reach  our  great  ;i\ci- 
age  of  300,000  troops  landed  in  ;i  month,  and  to  turn  those  troops  into 
fighting  units.  It  was  never  really  bad,  as  the  medical  records  show, 
but  it  was  not  a  first-class  hotel  or  a  <'omfortable  sylvan  retreat  either. 

A  short  or  long  period  of  <lrill  in  camp,  and  the  doughboy  was  hurried 
for  the  final  trimmings  to  a  camp  somewhere  out  toward  the  line.  The 
activities  of  his  regiment  or  brigade  or  division  centered  round  some 
little  provincial  French  town,  often  only  tlie  \  illage  center  for  a  few  farm- 
ers. Before  he  arrived  that  town  had  been  through  two  and  a  half  to 
three  years  of  war.  E\cry  man  capable  of  carrying  a  rifle  or  swinging 
a  pick  had  long  ago  been  taken  away.  Before  his  arrival  successive  waves 
of  troops — native  French,  colonial  French,  white  British,  East  Indian 
British;  even,  if  the  town  was  invaded  in  1914,  German — had  crowded 
into  it,  established  billets,  lived  for  months,  broken  billets  and  passed  on. 
It  was  lucky  if  it  had  escaped  attack  by  aircraft  or,  during  the  German 
advance  and  retreat,  by  artillery  fire.  Once  probably,  it  was  a  pretty 
little  village  with  all  the  doorsteps  waxed,  with  the  cobblestones  swe])t 
clean,  with  flower  boxes  in  every  window.  The  automobile  parties  pass- 
ing through  smiled  upon  it  and   exclaimed  "How  picturesque!" 

But  now — For  two  or  three  years  armies  had  scraped  off  the  paint, 
torn  up  the  floors  with  their  hobnailed  boots,  broken  the  windows,  used 
the  trees  in  the  village  jiark  for  hit(diing  posts,  ground  into  everything 
the  grease  of  overflowing  mess  tins.  Rugs  and  carpets  and  curtains  had 
worn  out  and  no  one  had  replace<l  them.  No  one  had  painteil  or  cal- 
cimined  either — both  money  and  labdr  were  lacking.  The  town  looked 
like  the  last  rose  of  summer. 
The  Wail  for  Stoves 

At  best  the  doughboy,  when  he  got  acquainted  with  the  town,  missed 
many  a  thing  which  he  had  been  brought  up  to  consider  essential  in  a 
well-regulated  community.  Sanitation,  for  exam])le.  In  that  the  French 
are  behind  us — but  so  is  all  Europe,  even  Englainl.  A  town  like  Bar-le- 
Duc,  for  example — large,  prosperous,  picturesque —  with  only  an  open 
canal  for  a  sewer.  Then  again  he  missed  stoves.  On  that  question  of 
heating  the  interior  of  a  house  we  never  shall  agree  with  the  Southwest- 
ern European.  Phillip  Gibbs  has  been  writing  his  impressions  of  the  Ignited 
States;  and  he,  like  every  other  British  dis("overer  of  America,  reports 
that  our  interiors  stifle  him.  Californians  \isiting  the  East  for  the  first, 
time   say  the   same  thing. 

The  French  go  in  for  heating  even  less  than  the  English — it  is  with 
them  a  matter  of  economy.  They  put  on  under-clothing  thicker  than  a 
board,  and  stand  it — except  on  the  coldest  days,  when  they  make  up  a 
little  fire  in  the  fireplace.  The  w-ail  of  our  overseas  Army  during  that 
first  hard  winter  of  1917-18  was  for  stoves,  stoves,  and  more  stoves. 

For  humans  the  doughboy  found  in  these  villages  the  stay-at-homes 
of  a  very  tired  i)eople.  They  had  been  through  three  years  of  want,  of 
hard  work,  of  danger,  of  worry,  and  of  the  irritation  which  came  from 
entertaining  involuntarily  hordes  of  foreign  visitors.  The  men  were 
gone;  so  were  many  of  the  young  women.  From  tearing  their  emotions 
all  to  pieces  the  war  had  come  to  bore  these  people  to  extinction.  They 
were  polite,  as  the  Frenchman  is  to  the  last  ditch;  but  where  was  that 
gay  animation  the  American  recruit  had  expected  from  the  French? 

They  drilled  the  doughboy  for  months,  while  he  dwelt  in  a  billet  of 
the  little  town  or  more  likely  in  a  colony  of  board  huts  on  its  outskirts. 
Then  one  day  they  marched  him  up  to  the  line  and  gave  him  his  round 
in  a  quiet  sector  of  the  trenches.  After  that — Montdidier,  Chateau- 
Thierrv,  Lorraine,  St.  ]\rihiel,  the  Argonne.  the  ]^leuse  and  finally  Sedan. 


••FILWCE  AXD  IS'  163 

Did  he  enjoy  this?  At  the  time,  to  speak  tlie  cold  truth,  he  did  not. 
I  have  lived  on  more  or  less  intimate  terms,  now,  with  the  armies  of 
five  nations,  and  I  here  record  my  opinion  that  few,  very  few,  liked  this 
war.  Talk  about  the  romance  of  the  fight!  Except  in  the  air  or — what 
was  next  to  that — on  the  glaciers  of  the  high  Alps,  it  was  about  as  ro- 
mantic as  the  Chicago  stockyards.  Once  during  the  fighting  beyond 
Montfaucon  a  staff  officer  of  the  Eainbow  Division  told  me  that  thev 
had  just  rounded  up  and  pardoned  fourteen  deserters.  These  men  <iis- 
appeared  during  some  of  the  early  fighting — at  the  Vesle,  I  believe.  The\- 
were  reported  as  missing.  Three  or  four  months  later  they  rejoined  their 
units.  In  their  own  defense  they  declared  that  they  might  have  deserted, 
Init  they'd  been  fighting  nevertheless.  Investigation  proved  them  truth- 
ful. At  the  Vesle  they  had  fallen  in  love  with  the  tanks,  had  deserted  to 
follow  them  round,  had  charged  beside  them  every  time  they  went  into 
action — and,  most  miraculousl}',  had  all  come  back  alive. 

Xow  here  were  boys  who  really  liked  war  for  itself;  but  I  mention 
them  as  an  exception.  You  found  that  type  everywhere,  but  it  was  in  a 
distinct  minority.  One  had  only  to  witness  a  battalion  going  into  action 
to  know  that  they  didn't  expect  to  like  it;  to  witness  them  coming  out  to 
know  that  the  outcome  had  fulfilled  expectation. 

Then  the  armistice,  and  a  long  wait  in  camp  for  transport  home  or  a 
hike  into  Germany.  And  looking  back  the  doughboy  felt  that  he  had  had 
a  rotten  time.  Now  even  such  broad-minded  human  beings  as  you  and  I, 
dear  reader,  hate  a  place  where  we  have  had  a  bad  time.  It  may  not 
be  the  fault  of  the  place  in  general,  but  only  of  the  one  dishonest  cab- 
man who  cheated  us;  or  the  one  bad  restaurant  which  gave  us  a  poor 
dinner;  or  the  gods  of  weather,  who  sent  up  a  pouring  rain  that  day — 
we  tend  to  blame  it  all  on  the  town.  And  the  doughboy,  waiting  and 
extremely  homesick,  laid  it  all  on  France. 

There  was  one  major  grievance  which  he  cherished,  and  which  I,  for 
one,  find  it  hard  to  explain  away.  From  the  moment  when  he  entered 
France   he  found  himself  overcharged. 

There  was  one  in-ice,  for  the  natives,  he  discovered,  and  another  for 
him.  This  did  not  hapjaen  everywhere;  there  were  places  where  the 
mayor  or  priest  took  measures  with  the  populace.  But  these  were  prol)- 
ably  the  exception.  Perhaps  this  is  not  the  deep-lying  reason  for  the 
feelings  of  part  of  the  A.  E.  F.,  but  at  least  it  is  the  reason  they  most  com- 
monly give.  I  shall  not  attempt  to  defend  this,  but  only  to  explain. 
Charge  and  Overcharge 

In  the  first  place  the  Americans  arri\eil  in  Fiance  ]ii('c('(|(>d  by  a 
reputation  for  wealth  without  limit.  The  first  comers  did  nothing,  per- 
haps, to  efface  this  impression.  They  were  our  first  volunteers;  ami 
always  in  the  vanguard  of  volunteers  is  an  undue  proportion  of  rich 
men,  who  can  afford  to  enlist.  Being  flush  and  feeling  kindly  toward 
France  they  made  "keep  the  change"  their  formula.  A  Frenchman,  no 
matter  how  rich,  never  does  that.  The  rej)ort  flew  that  they  had  enor- 
mous  wealth. 

One  Frenchman  whom  I  met  in  a  railway  carriage  had  seen  the  l()7th 
Kegiment,  which  used  to  be  the  Seventh,  of  New  York  City.  He  sol- 
emnly assured  nie  that  every  man  of  them  was  a  millionaire — not  in  dol- 
lars, but  in  francs.  When  I  disputed  this  he  triumidiantly  cited  tiicir 
actions  to  prove  his  case. 

Imagine  three  thousand  millionaires  dumped  on  any  American  town, 
and  ask  yourself  if  the  grocer,  the  druggist  and  the  liidel  keejier  would 
keep  their  prices  down!  Moreover,  overcharging  the  soldier  was  not 
exclusively  a  French  custom.  Our  own  people  did  it,  until  stopped  by 
authority,  on  the  Mexican  Border. 


164  MEMORIES  OF  THE  ' '  411T11 ' ' 

Last  March  some  Canadian  trooi)s  encamped  in  Western  England 
had  a  riot  which  ended  in  five  deaths.  Official  investigation  showed 
that  it  started  in  an  attack  on  local  shops  which  were  overcharging  the 
Canadians — own  kinsmen  to  the  English. 

Again,  the  rules  of  the  game  are  different  in  the  Latin  countries. 
Overcharging  the  stranger  is  a  perquisite  of  trade.  A  friend  of  mine  has 
an  office  in  the  post  office  building,  Eome,  and  lives  just  outside  the 
walls,  at  a  point  placed  inconveniently  for  rapid  transit.  So  he  com- 
monly takes  one  of  the  little  open-faced,  one-horse  cabs  characteristic 
of  the  town.  It  happened  that  he  nearly  always  called  the  same  cabman, 
a  pleasing  person  named  Giuseppi.  The  charge  was  always  the  same — 
two  and  a  half  lire,  with  tip. 

After  three  months  of  this,  Giuseppi  one  evening  took  only  two  lire 
out  of  a  five-lire  note. 

"Haven't  you  made  a  mistake.?"  asked  my  friend. 

"Oh,  no!"  said  Giuseppi.  "You  were  a  stranger  when  you  licgan 
to  ride  with  me,  but  now  I  see  you  are  settling  down  among  us  and  I  'ni 
charging  you  Eoman  prices.'' 

All  of  this,  not  with  the  air  of  a  iiinn  |u'rf(irming  a  virtuous  net 
but  of  one  doing  business. 

Indeed,  the  Northern  French  overcharged  their  own  countrymen 
who  came  to  them  as  soldiers  from  other  provinces.  Only  the  French, 
knowing  the  language  and  customs,  sat  down  on  the  tradesmen  when 
they  went  too  far.  We  bore  it  all  like  patient  Americans,  but — also  like 
Americans — we  kicked  violently  among  ourselves.  Nothing  so  irritated 
our  Army  as  to  feel  itself  done. 

While  engaged  in  telling  the  whole  truth  and  nothing  but  the  truth 
I  must  record  that  the  A.  E.  F.  is  not  generally  pleased  with  the  Y.  M.  C. 
A.  In  this  piobably  the  men  are  scarcely  just.  The  Y^.  M.  C.  A.  was 
spotted;  it  had  faults  of  organization  and  it  made  here  and  there  some 
bad  mistakes  in  choice  of  personnel.  Still,  I  do  not  know  what  we  should 
have  <lone  without  it.  Now  in  about  two  cases  out  of  three  when  the 
doughboy  ex[)resses  himself  on  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  he  charges  that  he  has 
paid  more  fof  cigarettes  or  chocolate  than  at  the  regular  canteens,  and 
has  therefore  been  done,  niulcte<l,  bilked. 
Little  Missionaries 

It  apjiears  that  early  in  the  game  both  the  canteens  and  the  Y'.  M. 
C.  A.  charged  cost  price  for  such  comforts  as  chocolate  and  cigarettes. 
However,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  unlike  the  canteens,  had  at  first  to  pay  ocean 
freight  and  duty  on  tobacco.  With  rather  bad  judgment,  I  think,  they 
added  this  into  the  cost  price;  and  therefore  a  package  of  cigarettes 
which  cost  eight  cents  at  the  canteen,  say,  cost  ten  or  eleven  at  the  Y^. 
M.  C.  A.  but  next  door.  The  doughboy  didn't  know  that;  or  hearing  of 
it  didn't  believe  it.  All  he  saw  was  that  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  was  overcharging 
him;  and,  as  I  say,  it  is  his  chief  grievance  against  the  institution. 

Y^et  this  I  notice  about  the  American  Expeditionary  Force.  The 
longer  they  stayed  and  the  more  the  contact  they  had  with  the  French 
the  better  they  liked  the  land  and  the  people  As  a  general  rule — of 
course  there  are  many  exceptions  both  ways — the  1917  man  liked  it  better 
than  the  191 S  man.  So,  too,  because  they  had  more  opportunity  of  get- 
ting about,  The  officers,  I  find,  liked  the  country  better  than  the  rank 
and  file;  and  for  the  same  reason  the  S.  O.  S.  liked  it  better  than  the 
boys  who  wallowed  in  the  mud  of  the  Front. 

One  morning  I  found  myself  at  breakfast  at  Chaumont  with  a  major 
in  the  Medical  Corps.  He  had  taken  only  a  brief  turn  of  the  Front;  his 
work,  since  his  arrival  in  the  summer  of  1917,  had  lain  in  a  town  of  the 
southeast,  where  he  had  not  only  ran  a  hospital  but  helped  in  caring  for 


"FRANCE  AND  1!^"  165 

the    civilian    population.      Ami    he    was    an    ciitliusiast    over    France    and 
Frenchman. 

"I  wasn't  at  first,"  he  said.  "We  eanie  down  there  full  of  affec- 
tion for  France,  friendly  as  the  dickens.  The  French  we  met  were  coldly 
polite;  behind  this  shell  I  felt  that  they  were  watching  us;  that  we  never 
had  their  full  confidence.  Then  they  be^au  to  overcharge  us.  We  knew 
that,  and  the  boys  resented  it.  Yes,  the  reasons  for  overcharging  were 
what  you  say;  but  there  was  another,  which  I  think  you've  missed.  The 
German  whispering  propaganda  had  been  busy,  very  busy.  The  people 
had  been  told  that  our  American  millionaires  forced  us  into  the  war  to 
make  uj)  for  the  losses  on  their  loans  to  the  Allies,  that  when  it  was  all 
over  we  'd  have  a  mortgage  on  France.  They  really  thought,  I  believe, 
that  we  came  into  the  w'ar  just  to  make  money.  Soaking  us  on  prices 
was  their  way  of  getting  a  little  of  it  back  before  we  owned  the  country. 

■'I  think  the  children  w^ere  the  first  missionaries.  Of  course  our  boys 
like<l  the  children,  and  the  children  liked  them.'  Well,  some  of  the  kids 
had  been  having  a  hard  time — not  a  jsiece  of  candy  since  the  war  started, 
and  running  round  barefooted  in  cold  weather.  If  you  want  to  know 
what  the  strain  of  the  war  has  been  on  France  get  out  of  Paris  and  see 
a  little  town  like  mine.  The  boys  began  to  give  them  chocolate;  and 
sometimes  when  they  found  a  little  fellow  with  his  feet  on  the  ground 
they'd  club  together  and  get  him  some  shoes.  The  people  saw  this;  an<l 
it  didn't  match  up  with  the  idea  of  a  mercenary  invader  who  had  come 
to  grab  France. 

' '  I  suppose  the  ice  was  broken  first  wdieu  the  mothers  began  to 
drop  in  to  thank  the  boys  for  what  they'd  done — nice,  cordial  French- 
women, whose  ways  the  boys  liked.  Then  all  of  a  sudden  the  whole  town 
got  chummy.  There  isn't  an  old  Frencdiwoman  in  town  who  wasn't 
mothering  two  or  three  American  boys — sewing  on  their  buttons  au<l 
all  that  sort  of  thing.  And  the  boys  feel  toward  them  as  though  they 
were  their  own  people.  And  from  tliat  very  time  the  prices  they  charged 
us  came  down  to  town  level.  There  isn't  a  boy  in  my  outfit  who  isn't 
pro-French — most  of  them  will  be  writing  letters  back  to  the  town  for  a 
long  time  after  the  war. 

''With  the  French  Army,  or  at  least  the  officers,  it  took  a  little 
longer.  Oh,  yes — they  were  jiolite — just  too  polite.  I  never  understood, 
myself,  the  difference  between  that  p)oliteness  and  real  cordiality  until 
after  the  Battle  of  Chateau-Thierry.  The  morning  after  we  recei\ed  the 
news  that  the  Eegulars  and  Marines  had  stopped  the  boche  flat-footed  at 
the  Marne,  three  French  officers  came  into  my  tjuarters.  They  stepped  up 
to  my  desk  and  saluted,  and  the  senior  officer  made  a  little  s}iee(h: 

''  'We're  really  comrades  now^'!  1  remember  he  said;  and  wlieii 
they  shook  hands  with  me  one  of  them  was  crying.  From  that  time  mi 
we  were  real  friends — we'd  got  through  the  veil  of  politeness.  Vou  see. 
they'd  been  from  Missouri  on  us.  We  looked  good,  yes — but  cduid  we 
fight  .^  Would  we  fight  without  the  incentive  of  hate.'  We'd  siimx  n  our- 
selves poor  haters.  They  knew  now  not  only  tiiat  we  could  fight  Imt  that 
we  were  a  litter  of  wildcats." 
General  Good  Feeling 

Before  the  armistice  T  liad  noted  here  and  there  among  our  Anu'ri- 
i-an  troops,  especially  among  tiie  new  divisions,  ti:at  undercurrent  of  ill- 
feeling  of  which  I  am  now  treating.  It  seemed  a  shame;  for  by  e\ery 
test  which  I  could  put  we  were  at  that  moment  a  jtet  nation  with  tin- 
French.  An  official  of  the  French  Government  concerned  with  tli(>  morale 
of  the  country  worked  last  August  a  very  ingenious  jdan — vvhicdi  I  re- 
gret that  I  may  not  describe — to  try  out  Fremdi  feeling.  It  showed  thai 
we  were  decidedly   jKipular  witii   flu-   |ie(i|ile  in  general.      In    fact,   my    i'ln;; 


166  MEMORIES  OF  THE  ' •  411  TIE ' 

lish  friends  in  Paris  showed  l>y  rluiry  British  coniments  that  they  were 
a  little   jealous. 

''Ah,  yes,  one  loves  his  latest  sweetheart  liestl'"  said  one  of  them 
to  nie. 

Ou  the  niglit  of  the  armistice  I  saw  four  or  five  American  flags 
carried  by  the  Parisian  populace  to  one  British  or  Belgian  or  Italian. 

Still,  we  have  our  faults,  surprising  as  it  may  seem;  and  contact  with 
an  alien  people  is  a  great  searcher  of  national  faults.  The  American 
character  travels  straight  toward  results.  We  are  impatient  with  side 
issues;  and  all  the  old,  crowded,  com])lex  Eurojiean  nations  consider 
side  issues  to  a  degree  w'liich  we  can  never  fully  appreciate.  We  have 
not — no  northern  people  has — the  exquisite  surface  courtesy  which  a 
Frenchman  never  loses. 

In  our  anxiety  to  get  results  we  were  often  tactless  from  a  French 
point  of  view.  This  cause  of  irritation  was  exaggerated  by  our  general 
ignorance  of  the  language.  I  wonder  if  the  American  schools,  after  this, 
will  teach  us  speaking  French  instead  of  the  book  French  they  taught  in 
my  generation.  And  we  ran  into  certain  French  peculiarities  which  we 
found  it  hard  to  understand.  For  example,  early  in  our  war  a  fine  old 
chateau  near  Bordeaux  was  leased  for  a  headquarters.  By  the  terms  of 
the  lease  we  w^ere  to  leave  everything  exactly  as  we  found  it.  The 
chateau  in  its  four  or  five  hundred  years  of  existence  had  never  known 
sanitary  plumbing;  the  owners  bathed  in  washbasins  or  rubber  tubs.  Ex- 
pecting to  stay  a  long  time  we  installed,  by  permission,  drains,  batlitubs, 
toilets,  a  water-heating  system. 
When  the  Boys  Whoopsd  It  Up 

When,  last  January,  we  ended  the  lease  and  moved  out  the  officer 
who  conducted  the  business  offered  to  leave  the  plumbing  where  it  was, 
since  its  removal  would  cost  as  much  as  it  was  worth.  The  French 
owner  refused.  We  had  to  take  out  our  ]duinl)iug.  What  he  wanted  from 
that  chateau  was  not  sanitation  but  venerable  beauty  and  the  sense  that 
he  dwelt  in  the  same  identical  house  as  his  ancestor  of  the  tenth  gener- 
ation back.  The  American  finds  it  hard  to  understand  such  a  ]ioint  of 
view;  and  he  is  a  bit  brusque  in  expressing  his  opinion  thereon. 

In  discussing  another  of  our  failings  I  must  begin  by  an  explana- 
tion. Xot  the  least  of  our  pride  in  the  Expeditionary  Force  was  its  good 
behavior.  For  general  morals  we  were  the  prize  winners.  But  of 
course  soldiers  in  a  non-prohibition  country  will  get  drunk  now  and 
then.  One  reason  for  our  prohibition  wave  is  the  fact  that  many  Amer- 
icans have  no  moderation  in  their  use  of  alcohol,  and  that  they  some- 
times tend,  when  drunk,  to  tear  up  the  sidewalks.  Your  French  jioilu 
who  in  his  reaction  from  the  trenehes  took  to  liquor  got  a  blissful  and 
genial  jag,  which  expressed  itself  in  talkativeness  and  in  flirtation.  The 
American  whooped  it  up. 

As  two  coyotes  on  a  moonlit  night  can  give  the  impression  of  a  whole 
wolf  pack,  so  two  drunken  Americans  could  give  the  appearance  of  a 
drunken  Army.  They  might  l)e  surrounded  by  fifty  poilus,  all  half-seas 
over;  it  was  the  Americans  whom  one  noticed. 

This  tendency  brought  its  most  deplorable  effects  in  Paris.  The 
capital  of  the  world  was  not  a  leave  center.  Nevertheless  all  sorts  of 
commissions  and  activities  centered  there;  soldiers  were  constantly  com- 
ing and  going  on  military  errands;  moreover,  though  Paris  was  officially 
barred,  men  nevertheless  got  Paris  leave  by  pull  or  cajolery.  In  spite 
of  the  provost  marshal  and  the  military  police  we  always  had  the  Amer- 
ican drunk  with  us;  and  when  present  he  always  announced  himself. 
The  French,  who,  as  I  have  said,  grow  merely  genially  expansive  w^ith 
li(]U(ii-.  dill  not   like  this. 


■' FRANCE  AND  I'S"  167 

Xevertheless,  Freueh  feeling  did  not  begin  to  c-hauge  until  we  locked 
horns  a  hit  at  the  Peace  Conference;  at  .one  time,  indeed,  there  was  a  lock- 
ing of  horns  all  along  the  line.  For  fifty  years — even  before  the  Franco- 
Prussian  War — Germany  has  been  the  nightmare  of  France.  There  she 
sat  on  the  northern  border,  waiting,  France  rightly  felt,  the  first  open- 
ing to  swoop  dowm  and  to  complete  the  enslavement  begun  in  1870.  All 
this  time  France  had  borne  a  heavier  and  heavier  burden  of  armament 
taxation  just  because  Germany  was  arming  more  and  more. 

The  nightmare  came  true  in  1914;  and  it  surpassed  the  imagination 
of  the  most  pessimistic  Frenchman.  To  most  Frenchmen  beyond  middle 
age  the  evil  institution  of  predatory  war  was  identical  with  Germany; 
and  lasting-  jieace  meant  the  suppression  of  Germany,  and  nothing  else. 
^Moreover,  all  France  came  into  the  era  of  "arms  down"  in  a  curiously 
abnormal  state  of  nerves.  The  strain — and  no  one  who  has  not  been 
through  it  can  imagine  it — had  been  too  great  for  humanity  to  bear. 
They  stood  up  to  it,  these  nervously  organized  French,  until  the  last 
moment  of  need;  then  in  many  of  them  something  snajiped.  As  I  hur- 
ried towaril  the  boulevards  on  the  morning  when  the  armistice  was  an- 
nounced the  first  thing  I  noticed  was  the  number  of  women  weeping. 
Afterward  many  and  many  a  w-oman  or  middle-aged  man  of  my  knowl- 
edge or  acquaintance  had  a  nervous  collapse.  All  nerves  were  in  fact 
much  less  normal  than  during  the  war. 

In  that  state  a  number  of  able,  highly  patriotic  and  well-willed  but 
slightly  old-fashioned  French  statesmen  came  against  Wilson,  with  his 
League  of  Nations  and  his  ideas  of  a  far-reaching  settlement  to  end  the 
causes  of  war.  To  say  that  the  French  Government  as  at  present  con- 
stituted is  against  the  League  of  Nations  would  be  putting  the  whole 
thing  falsely. 

"What  we  want,"  said  one  official  to  nie,  ''is  a  strong  League  of 
Nations — that 's  the  point. ' ' 

However,  with  their  intense  nationalism  their  idea  of  a  strong  league 
meant  mainly  something  which  would  guard  France  against  Germany. 
With  this  always  in  view  they  asked  more,  often,  than  their  confreres  of 
the  League  of  Nations  or  the  Peace  Conference  thought  it  possible  to  grant. 

Now'  M.  Clenienceau,  the  iron  man  of  France,  was  least  of  all  among 
the  French  delegates  convinced  on  the  League  of  Nations  question.  He 
cannot  be  described  as  exactly  hostile;  but,  as  a  British  friend  put  it  to 
me,  his  attitude  is  "sympathetic  cynicism."  Still,  he  would  welcome 
what  the  French  consider  a  strong  league.  And  Clenienceau  is  a  fighter 
— all  his  life  he  has  fought  with  everything  he  had  from  his  eyebrows 
to  his  toenails.  Opposed  on  the  slightest  proposition  he  goes  at  his  op- 
jionent  's  throat. 
The  Noisy  Minorities 

M.  Clenienceau  understands  as  well  as  the  next  man  that  the  jdain 
French  people  favor  a  League  of  Nations  or  any  other  plan  which  prom- 
ises to  end  war.  And  he  is  enough  of  a  democrat  to  wish  to  represent 
his  people.  But  he  is  also  implacable  on  Germany;  and  when  opi)Osed 
on  that  question  he  bares  his  teeth  and  gives  his  celebrated  imitation 
of  the   tiger. 

Anotiier  thing  complicated  tlie  program.  With  the  unexpected  ar- 
rival of  victory  the  imperialistic  element  in  every  Allied  nation  woke 
up,  rubbed  hands  and  said,  "Now  is  our  chance."  P''rance  is  about  five 
per  cent  Royalist;  and  those  people  will  never  see  affairs  except  in  the 
light  of  the  struggle  for  empire.  Fiance  has  its  gentlemen  of  high  fi- 
nance, who  would  welcome  empire  because  it  would  be  good  for  business. 
So  have  Italy  and  Britain,  for  that  matter;  and  so  have  we.  Let  us 
not  cast  the  first  stone. 


168  MEMOKIES  UF  THE  •■411TH" 

Reading  the  spirit  of  our  jjolitic's  from  the  other  side  of  the  water  I 
thiuk  I  trace  in  some  of  the  opposition  to  the  League  of  Nations  a  body 
of  gentlemen  who  want  an  empire  clear  down  to  the  Isthmus,  with  all 
accompanying  trai)piugs  of  a  huge  standing  army  and  gumshoe  diplom- 
acy. It  would  be  good  business,  and  it  would  be  ''swell."'  Only,  these 
gentlemen  dare  not  express  themselves  njieniy. 

The  French  are,  more  frank.  The  gun  barrels  of  Armagedeon  were 
not  yet  cleaned  before  the  Eoyalists  and  the  imperialists  were  denumd- 
ing  e\"erythiug  in  sight,  fathering  a  i)olicy  which  would  mean  glory  for  a 
time,  and  then — more  war,  under  the  horrible,  intensified  conditions  of 
"the  next  war."  Again  I  say,  the  French  were  not  alone  in  possessing 
this  element. 

Now  there  are  in  Paris  two  newspapers  of  great  technical  excellence 
which  represented  this  class — the  Echo  de  Paris,  Royalist,  and  Figaro, 
Clerical  with  Royalist  leanings.  From  the  day  of  the  armistice  they  de- 
manded things.  They  began  with  the  disarmament  of  the  left  bank  of 
the  Rhine,  then  demanded  possession  of  the  left  bank,  and  then,  the  pipe 
drawing  freely,  thirty  kilometers  the  other  side.  No  one,  outside  of  a 
few  countingrooms  and  of  certain  Royalist  circles  where  people  discuss 
over  tea  their  lost  cause,  ever  took  these  proposals  seriously.  The  dis- 
armament of  the  left  bank — that  is  another  proposition.  Tlie  Rhine 
Valley  has  always  been  a  pist(d  ]iointeil  at  the  heart  of  France.  l>is- 
armament  of  the  left  bank  would  diaw  the  cartridge;  and — if  I  may 
prophesy — it  will  be  disarmed. 

Bewildered  Correspondents 

Now  from  the  first  these  two  organs  set  up  Wilson  as  a  bugaboo; 
and,  along  with  him,  Wilson's  country.  Out  of  courtesy  they  put  on  the 
soft  pedal  during  the  period  of  Wilson's  official  visit.  No  sooner  was 
the  conference   down  to  business  than  they  started  up   again. 

And  with  Wilson  had  arrived  a  shipload  of  first-class  Washington 
correspondents  and  star  reporters  to  do  the  Peace  Conference  for  our 
j^ress.  I  will  match  the  American  newspaperman  against  any  of  his  eon- 
temporaries  across  the  water,  and  give  odds.  The  more  I  see  of  the  for- 
eign press  the  more  on  the  whole  I  admire  the  American.  But  just  let 
me  hint  that  some  of  them,  though  won<lers  on  a  big  fire,  marvels  on  a 
national  election  and  world-beaters  on  the  tariff,  wobbled  a  bit  at  first 
on  French  atmosphere  and  world  politics.  In  our  splendid  isolation  our 
newspapers  and  newspaper  men  have  never  much  regarded  Eurojje  as 
anything  but  a  place  where  the  rich  traveled  and  broke  the  bank  at 
Monte  Carlo  and  got  their  jewels  stolen,  whereas  the  most  mediocre  little 
Fleet  Street  reporter  discoursed  on  the  Balkan  problem  and  the  German 
plot  against  Persia  and  France 's  future  in  Morocco.  In  five  or  ten 
years  of  world  contact  we  shall  change  all  that,  but  I  am  speaking  of  now. 

The  American  rejjorter  walked  into  Europe  and  read  or  had  trans- 
lated to  him  a  hot  leader  of  Petrinax  from  the  Echo  de  Paris  and  felt 
all  his  sense  of  nationality  injured.  The  popular  Matin  and  Petit  Pa- 
risien — this  last  has  ten  times  the  circulation  of  the  Echo  de  Paris — might 
be  most  kind  and  comiilimentary  on  that  day.  Humanly,  he  ilid  not  no- 
tice them.     He  noticed  the  Echo  de  Paris. 

Then  he  misread  the  French  he  met  in  Paris,  as  almost  every  Amer- 
ican does  in  the  beginning.  I  know;;  for  I've  been  through  it  myself. 
The  true  Frenchman  has  a  pessimistic  pose.  He  is,  I  think,  always  play- 
ing a  little  game  with  himself.  If  one  thinks  things  are  coming  out  well 
he'll  be  so  horribly  disappointed  if  they  come  out  badly!  If  one  thinks 
things  are  coming  out  badly  how  happily  surprised  he'll  be  if  they  come 
out  well!     Let  us  therefore  work  for  the  best  and  expect  the  worst. 


''FJJAXCE  AX  J)  IS"  169 

From  1914  clear  through  to  1918  Americans  over  only  a  month  or  so 
liave  come  to  me  and  whispered:  "These  people  can't  last  more  than 
two  or  three  months  longer.     They  say  so  themselves!" 

I'aris  is  \ery  gossi])y;  and  the  gossip  is  always  i)essiinistic. 

Many  a  man  who  had  read  the  Echo  de  Paris  listened  to  the  Fren<di 
and  got  the  straight  of  some  events  inside  the  conference  or  the  subsid- 
iary committees,  rushed  to  the  wire  or  to  the  mail  chute  with  a  story 
true  as  to  its  facts  but  untrue — though  he  wrote  sincerely — in  the  im- 
portance he  gave  to  those  facts.  The  stories  grapevined  back  to  France; 
and   that  stirred  uj)  more  hard  feeling. 

Well,  I  myself  must  be  careful  to  temper  facts  with  a  sense  of  pro- 
portion. Do  not  believe  that  the  attitude  whiidi  1  have  dcsci-ibcd  in  the 
American  Army  is  universal  or  even  typical. 

Anyone,  as  I  have  said,  dislikes  a  place  where  he  happened  to  have  a 
liad  time;  so,  too,  he  likes  a  place  where  he  had  a  good  time.  When  he 
begins  to  think  he  had  a  gloriously  good  time  he  will  begin  unconsciously 
to  like  France.  If  your  boy  when  he  first  conies  home  has  some  acrim- 
onious AA'ords  to  say  about  the  sister  republic  don't  pay  any  attention  to 
liini.  Wait  two  or  three  years  until  he  has  attemled  a  few  camp-fire  re- 
unions and  then,  at  a  moment  when  he  has  forgotten  what  he  said  when 
he  first  came  home,  put  the  question  and  hear  what  he  has  to  say.  Don't 
wait  too  long  if  you  want  the  truth.  By  ten  year's  he  will  have  swung 
to  the  other  extreme. 

As  for  the  old-timer,  who  has  had  a  idiance  to  get  acquainted  with 
France  and  the  French — listen  to  liim.  He  has  seen — past  the  fluff — 
the  sober  solidity  of  French  family  life,  the  beautiful  strength  of  their 
natural  ties.  He  has  learned  that  though  the  French  have  some  ways 
in  business  irritating  to  us  they  get  the  business  of  the  world  done  in  a 
manner  most  astonishing.  He  knows  that  though,  like  the  jaeasant  Scotch 
and  the  native  New  Englander,  they  are  close  and  thrifty  they  have  back 
of  their  thrift  a  stern  sense  of  obligation.  He  knows  that,  like  America, 
France  is  made  up  of  all  kinds  of  people,  some  of  whom  you  like  and 
!-'ome  of  whonr  you  don't.  But  the  charm  of  the  people — with  their 
courtesy,  their  sense  of  humor,  their  way,  like  an  amiable  dog,  of  enter- 
ing into  the  spirit  of  the  occasion — has  probaldy  got  to  him,  as  it  gets 
to  e\'cry  man  of  good  will.  The  condiination  of  charm  ami  idiaracter 
cannot   be  beaten  in  the  end. 

i'erhaps  indeed  he  has  gone  a  little  further  and  reached  the  Fremdi 
mind.  He  can  tell  you  then  that  they  are  a  nation  of  thinkers,  with  a 
talent  for  looking  facts  in  the  face;  that  however  lively  the  play  of 
surface  emotion  the  little  hard  French  head  is  always  sitting  ajiart, 
cooly  thinking.  He  may  have  gone  far  enough  to  know  that  the  French 
schools  and  universities  are,  in  two-thirds  of  the  exact  sciences,  better 
and  sounih'r  than  tlK)se  German  universities  which  were  su(di  a  craze 
with  (lui-  world  of  learning  before  the  war.  The  German,  you  see.  knew 
how  to  advertise;   the  French  did  not. 

Before  I  left  Paris  I  talked  this  situation   oxer   with   a    wise    i-'rcncdi- 
man   who  ailmires  America   and  who  wants   abo\e  all   tliinys   to   maintain 
a  friendship  not  of  the  governments  so  much  as  of  the  peoples.     Tliougli 
he  admitted  the  facts  I  fouml  him  calm,  unperturbed. 
The  Building  of  Friendship 

"We're  going  through  a  necessary  stage  of  friendship,"  he  s;iid. 
''  When  you  first  meet  your  friend  he  is  wonderful,  wonderful.  Then  yon 
find  that  he  has  his  disagreeable  traits,  his  little  ways  that  jar  ujion  you. 
Yon   weather  that,  take   him   as  he  comes — and  you're   friends.'" 

"  'A  friend  is  one  who  knows  the  worst  about  you,  and  iloesn't  give 
a  ilanm  I  '  ' '    1    (luotcd. 


170 


MEMORIES  OK  THE  "411Tir 


"Exactly.  The  idea  with  which  you  Americaus  came — that  we  were 
all  super-humauly  brave  and  good  and  beautiful — couldn't  last  a  week 
after  you  saw  the  reality,  because  we're  just  people  like  you. 

''Did  you  ever  consider,"  he  added,  "how  trying  it  is  to  eutcrtaiu 
a  stranger;  or  to  be  entertained?  There  isn't  a  family  of  my  acquaint- 
ance which  I  like  well  enough  to  dare  to  take  under  the  same  roof  with 
my  family  for  six  months.  We'd  all  get  on  each  other's  nerves.  You've 
come  here,  two  million  three  hundred  thousand  men,  and  thousands  and 
thousands  of  men  and  women  in  auxiliary  services.  You've  saturated 
France.  I  suppose  there  is  no  village  so  small  that  it  hasn't  had  Amer- 
icans, if  only  one  military  policeman.  We  didn't  invite  you  to  come — as 
indixiduals.  In  that  sense  we  were  forced  ujion  each  other.  Good  will 
and  patriotism  carried  both  sides  a  long  way;  but  inevitably  we  got  a 
little  on  each  other's  nerves.  That  will  ])ass  too;  we'll  get  ilown  to  a 
working  basis  of  friendship. 

"I've  been  through  all  this  before.  The  British  came  to  us  in  1914. 
They  never  saturated  France  as  you  have  done,  because  they  could  keep 
so  jnany  of  their  activities  at  home.  Except  for  a  little  occupation  of 
Paris  at  first  they  never  went  much  beyond  the  northwest-em  corner. 
Do  you  know  that  toward  the  end  of  1915  personal  relations  got  a  little 
strained?  We  were  sna})ping  at  each  other,  no  one  knew  exactly  why. 
That  stage  passed,  naturally  and  without  much  effort  on  either  side. 
We've  got  down  to  working  friend.ship  with  the  British.  We  know  the 
worst  about  each  other,  and  don  't  give  a  damn. ' ' 

As  the  years  roll  on,  we  will  think  less  and  less  of  the  few 
unpleasant  experiences  we  luul  in  the  A.  E.  F.,  and  fenieniber 
only  those  things  Avhieh  gave  us  the  .ureatest  pleasure.  AVe 
will  reiiiemher  the  many  courtesies  and  favors  bestowed  upon 
ns  l)y  the  French  i)eople  in  the  various  communities  where  Ave 
wei'e  l)illeted,  and  for.yet  the  times  when  we  were  slightly  over- 
charged for  a  bottle  of  wine  or  a  feed,  when  our  appetite  was 
fullei'  than  our  purse.  "VIVK   LA  FKANX'E" 


He  Says:   "A   Good  Gernii 


XVIII 
HOxMEWARD    BOUND 

tttE  arrived  at  Brest  on  .March  2(i.  1919,  the  following'  clay 
^^  and  marched  out  over  the  ohl,  somewhat  familial-  I'oad  the 
same  as  upon  onr  arrival  in  ]\Iareh,  1918,  but  upon  i-carhini;- 
I'oritonezen,  we  beheld  a  complete  transformation.  WhcM-c  there 
had  only  been  the  old  stone  barracks  then  there  was  now  a 
reiiular  little  city  of  barracks,  tents,  kitchens,  delonsino'  estab- 
lishments, bath  houses  and  exi^ry  other  conceivable  establish- 
ment for  the  handlin<i'  of  troops.  We  were  told  that  they  had 
taken  care  of  as  many  as  70,000  troops  at  one  time.  Compared 
with  the  hard-board  beds  and  cold  quarters  which  had  been  our 
lot  npon  arrival  a  little  over  a  year  ago,  we  "were  sitting  on 
the  world."  While  we  had  some  rather  disagreeable  details 
given  to  ns  during  our  stay  in  Brest,  our  food  was  good,  we 
w^ere  able  to  get  good  baths  whenever  we  wanted  them,  and  we 
were  all  so  happy  to  be  just  on  the  eve  of  onr  departure  for 
the  States,  that  work,  even  though  dirty,  ditl  not  worry  us 
much. 

After  we  had  received  the  nsnal  and  necessary  delonsings, 
re-outfittings  of  clothing,  eqnipment.  etc.,  and  received  the 
requisite  nnmber  of  inspections,  the  day  of  departure  fiiuilly 
arrived.  Onr  scant  supply  of  francs  and  centimes  were  changed 
into  good  old  V.  S.  dollars  and  cents  and  we  found  ourselves 
"walking  up  that  gang  ])laid\."  The  T".  S.  Cruisei-  Cliarlestou 
was  to  be  our  transpoi't  for  return  home,  and  we  puUeil  up  an- 
chor at  10  A.  M.,  April  10.  191!),  steaming  slowly  out  of  the  l>ar- 
boi-  of  Brest.  Although  our  hearts  were  overHowiuu'  with 
gladin:\ss  that  we  were  noAV  on  oui'  way  to  the  hoiiiehmd,  it  was 
not  withont  many  pangs  of  regret  and  sadness  that  we  stood  at 
the  rail  of  the  ship  and  watclnnl  the  shoi-es  of  Fi-aiu-e  gradually 
nun-ge  into  the  horizon  and  pass  out  of  sight,  i^'oi'  Mu)re  than 
thirteen  mouths  we  had  been  practically  hei-  guests;  we  had  the 


1.      Leaving-  Camp   Mills.  4.      Band's    farewell    concert    Montlouis. 

i!.      Tliree   new   "Louies."  5.      Meeting-  with   homefolks  at  Oakland. 

2.      Fii'st   sight  of  "Mi.«s   Lihei'tv." 


HOMEWAHl)  BOIM)  17:-5 

oppoi'tniiities  of  learning  French  customs,  quite  a  bit  of  their 
language  and  their  courteous  hospitality.  AVe  had  made  many 
friends;  in  fact  some  of  the  friendships  bordei'ed  on  romances: 
we  had  experienced  with  their  delightful  people  many  of  their 
deep  sorrows  during  the  dark  days  of  1918,  and  all  of  their 
.joys  in  the  victory  celebrations  following  the  end  of  tlu^  wai'. 
In  our  heart  of  hearts  we  knew  that  our  pleasant  experiences 
and  friendships  woidd  long  outlive  the  memory  of  oni-  discom- 
forts and  disappointments. 

Our  Commanding  Officer,  Captain  A.  B.  Coates,  was  the 
commanding  officer  of  troops  on  board,  and  as  the  Battalion 
Avas  the  only  regular  organization,  the  remainder  being  casuals, 
it  fell  to  our  lot  to  take  care  of  the  supervisory  work  of  hand- 
ling the  berthing,  messing,  etc.,  of  the  officers  and  men  of  th( 
Army.  All  this  might  have  gone  very  Avell,  if  practically  every- 
body aboard  had  not  come  under  the  spell  of  sea-sickness  be- 
fore we  were  more  than  two  hours  at  sea.  For  the  first  three  or 
four  days  there  was  hardly  a  corporal's  guard  in  the  mess  line 
or  anywhere  else  except  the  l)unks.  A  few  old  "sea-dogs"  of 
our  outfit  weathered  the  storm  and  were  a])le  to  maintain  some 
semblance  of  order  among  the  troops  aboard  until  gradually, 
as  the  storm  wore  iself  out,  recruits  were  put  in  service  and 
order  restored. 

AYliat  a  difference  in  this  homeward  bound  trip  and  tlu' 
one  over.  After  the  storm  had  subsided  and  those  who  had 
been  so  deathly  sea-sick  had  ceased  to  wish  that  the  ship  would 
strike  a  mine,  groups  could  be  seen  forming  here  and  there  all 
over  the  ship,  and  what  was  the  topic  of  their  conversation  .' 
What  they  had  done  in  the  war!  Indeed  not  I  Instead,  "What 
I  am  going  to  do  as  soon  as  I  get  out ;"  "Believe  ]\\v.  I  am  going 
to  have  some  feed  when  I  hit  New  York;"  "Oh  boys,  won'l  our 
American  girls  look  good,"  etc.,  etc.  A  spirit  of  .iolly  dieei' 
pervaded  all  and  the  only  disturbing  element  was  thai  Ihe  old 
ship  couldn't  go  fast  enough  to  reach  tlie  end  of  our  ocean  voy- 
age. And  when  land  was  sighted  and  we  sailed  slowly  up 
thi'ough  New  '^'oi'k's  lo\ver  harhoi-,  ])ast  Ihe  Slatute  of  Lib- 
erty, to  noboken.  amid  the  shrill  whistles  of  fadorx-  and  rixcr 
craft  and  the  ehe<M-ini;'  thousands  of  oiii-  own  coiuit  lymen.  oni- 


174  MEMORIES  OF  T 1 1 E  "  41  IT  i  1"  ■ 

hearts  were  filled  with  uratitude  that  we  were  again  setting- 
foot  on  U.  tS.  soil. 

We  arrived  in  lIol)oken  on  A[)i'i]  'Jlst.  going  directly  to 
Camp  ]\Iills,  N.  J.,  where  we  remained  for  eight  days.  Unring 
this  time  we  all  had  an  opportunity  of  visiting  New  York,  and 
the  days  passed  very  pleasantly,  although  everybody  was  anx- 
ious to  be  on  the  way  home  to  families  and  friends.  We  left 
Camp  Mills  on  April  29th,  arriving  in  San  Franeiseo  on  ^lay 
4th.  The  members  of  the  Ijattalion  from  Oregon,  Washington 
and  other  northern  points  left  ns  at  Granger,  AVyoming,  at 
which  point  they  were  transferred  to  the  Oregon  Short  Line 
for  Camp  Lewis.  The  writer  must  here  leave  the  northern  dele- 
gation as  he  has  no  record  of  what  happened  to  them  as  a  body 
after  leaving-  the  southern  crowd  at  Granger.  ,0n  the  evening 
of  May  5th  the  Battalion  was  officially  welcomed  home  at  tlu- 
San  Francisco  Commercial  Club  under  tlie  auspices  of  the  Tele- 
phone Society.  The  talks,  eats  and  usual  stunts  at  a  banquet 
of  this  kind  will  be  left  to  the  imagination  of  the  reader  and  we 
Avill  pass  on  to  the  real  dramatic  incident  of  the  evening.  The 
silken  Stars  and  Stripes  of  our  own  Battalion  colors,  borne  by 
our  color  guard,  were  brought  into  the  banquet  hall  and  return- 
ed to  the  Telephone  Conq)any  to  be  preserved  for  all  time.  ^Ir. 
Henry  T.  Scott,  who  had  been  at  the  head  of  a  group  of  dis- 
tinguished telephone  and  army  officials  at  the  time  the  colors 
Avere  presented  to  the  Battalion  at  ^lonterey,  made  the  accept- 
ance speech.  In  a  voice  trembling  with  emotion  and  tears  of 
happiness  dinnning  his  eyes,  he  made  a  little  talk  of  acceptance 
^that  will  be  remembered  all  their  lives  by  those  present.  His 
voice,  his  manner  and  gestures  expressed  the  heartfelt,  Avhole- 
souled  welcome  which  he,  on  behalf  of  our  friends  and  asso- 
ciates, wished  us  to  feel.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  every  man 
belonging  to  the  organization  could  not  have  heard  this  talk  and 
enjoyed  the  atmosi^here  of  the  occasion,  as  it  Avould  have  been 
a  most  pleasant  place  of  adieu  from  the  comradeship  in  arms 
back  into  civilian  activities. 


XIX 
LOOKING    FORWARD 

r  TPOX  coiiiplctioii  of  this  chapter,  oui-  narrative  of  the  411th 

Avill  eoiiie  to  a  eh^se.  The  writer  has  I)e(Mi  thinking  foi- 
many  months  that  there  ought  to  be  some  way  of  perpetuating 
the  friendships  and  eonn-adeships  formed  during  our  period  of 
service  togetlier.  Wlumever  ami  wherever  you  meet  any  of 
your  l)uddies  from  the  old  outfit,  you  always  have  a  talkfest, 
don't  you.'  You  begin  recalling  old  times:  one  will  bring  up 
some  incident  that  happened  at  ^lonterey:  another  something 
during  the  trij)  through  the  canal  or  on  the  ship  crossing  the 
Atlantic;  another  one  of  the  Big  Parties  put  on  at  "^ladame 
Cocaud's"  in  Savenay:  another  of  the  rats  at  Avacourt :  still 
aiu)11u'i-  of  a  ])ai-ticularly  good  time  in  Paris,  etc.,  etc 

Wouldn't  it  be  a  good  j)lan  to  organize  "The  Four-Elev- 
enth Association,"  with  a  General  Secretary  at  some  central 
point?  Tie  Avould  collect  information  from  Corresponding  Sec- 
retaries, located  at  as  many  places  as  might  ])e  found  neces- 
sary, and  thus  be  able  to  keep  in  tom-h  with  all  former  mem- 
bers, lie  would  issue  a  ])ulletin  of  news  or  "memories"  three 
or  four  tinu\s  a  year,  containing  {)ersonal  information  about  the 
uuui  scattered  all  over  the  country.  The  writer  ])elieves  there 
Avill  be  nnich  I'eal  enjoyment  in  tlie  remaking  of  old  friemlshiiis, 
wliich  have  l)een  neglected  but  not  forgotten  ;  and,  perhaps, 
some  day,  AVe  might  have  a  gi'and  reunion  at  old  ^Monterey. 
Are  you  for  it  ?    All  right! 

"George"  has  kindly  consented  to  act  as  General  Secre- 
tary of  the  proposed  Association.  What  "(;(M)rge?"  H.  ( ). 
Kutlierfurd,  of  course,  lie  is  now  located  with  the  Traffic  De- 
partment of  the  Pacific  Telephone  and  Tcb-graph  ('(tiii|iauy  a1 
Saci'amento,  Galif.  lie  will  outline  a  |>lan  ami  submii  ii  to  you 
ill  the  very  near  futui'e. 

The  roMowinu'  persouMi'l  I'osliM'  has  been  |»rrparcd  lo  cii- 
abh'  i-eadei-s  of  '"  Alciiiorics"  to  licI   in  toui'li  with  obi  cotnrades. 


176  :\rEMORIES  OF  TlIK  • '41  ITU- 

aiul  to  serve  as  a  ready  means  of  reeallin^'  some  name  at  any 
time  in  the  future.  The  addresses  are  the  veiy  latest  which  it 
has  l)een  |)ossil)le  to  obtain  aftei-  contiiuicd  con-cspoiKh'nce  all 
over  the  country: 

PERSONNEL  ROSTER 

Abbott,  C.  S 1487  Sixth  St.,  Alameda,  Calif. 

Adams,  A.  E Box  518,  Stockton,  Calif. 

Adams,  Albert  S 457  D  Ave.,  Coronado.  Calif. 

Agard,  Roy  Jl Ill  W.  2nd  St.,  Tulsa,  Okla. 

Agnew,  T.  C Box  501,  Keokuk,  Iowa 

Albertson,  Asel  L Box  318  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho 

Allison,  Theo  P Box  H,  Fowler,  Calif. 

Anderson,   Alfred "Santa   Rosa,   Calif. 

Andrews,  William  B 8901  Delmar  Blvd.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Atkinson,  Chas.  B 451  E.  39th  St..  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Baeh,  Gilbert  W 4716  X.  Winchester  St.,  Chicago.  111. 

Bachelor,  Arthur  H 326  E.  54th  St.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Bacon,  Bruce 269  S.  12th  St.,  San  Jose,  Calif. 

Bailev,  Orrin  W^ 16111/2    Ash   St.,   Spokane,   Wash. 

Baird,  Richard  B 286  Tillamook   St.,   Portland,  Ore. 

Barbour,    W.   C *Spokane,    Wash. 

Barker,  Christopher  S.. 88  N.  Marengo  St.,  Pasadena,  Calif. 

Barker,   Elmer  F Beattie,    Kansas 

Barnes,  Walter War,  W.   Ya. 

Barnes,  William  W Davey,  W.  Ya. 

Barrett,  Richard  M 15991/2  Belmont  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

BaA's,   Thomas  J 1814  Ashmore  Place,   Los   Angeles,   Calif. 

Beardslee,  Leonard  L.... 112  Oak  St.,  Modesto,  Calif. 

Bechtold,  Jacob  Y *Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Beebe,  Carroll  E 50  Post  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Becker,  Ernest  T 219  Raniona  St.,  Palo  Alto,  Calif. 

Beisell,  Albert 526  N.  105th  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Bennett,  George  R... 1106  Magnolia  St..  So.  Pasadena,  Calif. 

Bevan,  Albert  E 1222  W.  22nd  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Biedebach.  Heurv  E.. ....292  Galena  Ave.,  Pasadena,  Calif. 

Bischoff,  William  L 961  Bates  St.  S.  E.,  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 

Blair,  Lewis  A "Chico,  Calif. 

Blair,  Robert  H 200  Ferguson  Bldg.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Blessing,  James  H "San  Francisco,   Calif. 

Blue,  Albert  A 182  Clinton  Park,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Boggs,  Paul  P 1  McKinley  Ave.,  Baldwin  Harbor,  L.I.,  X.  Y. 

Borne,   Hal    R ". *  Albany,   Ore. 

Boyle,   Cecil  A : 458   E.  Burnside,   Portland,   Ore. 

Brainard,  Lawrence  W Payette,   blaho 

Brakel,  Leslie *  Portland,  Ore. 

Brant,  A.  W 551  Washington  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Brome,  George  H.. P.  O.  Box  921,  R.  F.  D.  No.  4,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Brown,  Clifton  S 2617  Cedar  St.,  Berkeley,  Calif. 

Bruce,  Robert  I 589   Day  St.,  San  Francisco,   Calif. 

Brunick,  Tideman  R Route  1,  Box  7,  Arlington,  S.  D. 

"■■      Care  Telephone  Company. 


LOOKING  FOR  WA I J I )  177 

Bullock,  Tyler  M 41  Luckie  St.,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Burger,  George.... 4157  Pearl  Road,  Cleveland,  Ohio 

Burns,  John  L... Prescott,   Wis. 

Burns,  Thomas  M _ *Sacramento,  Calif. 

Cadr,  Con  H Care  L.  F.  Robinson,  Fihnore,  Calif. 

Calloway,  Allen  J Western  Electric  Co.,  Salt  Lake  Citv,  Utah 

Campbell,  A.  B.. 118  S.  1st  St.,  Corvallis,  Ore. 

Campbell,  A.  J r... 2922  Walnut  Ave.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Campbell,   Lester   W ^Portland,    Ore. 

Carlson,  John  A. *Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Carras,  Gust  H 178  N.  Main  St.,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

Certain,  Fred.... 122o  S.  Branson  St.,  ^Marion,   Ind. 

Chamberlin,  James  A Care  J.  N.  Chamberlin  *San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Clark,  Russell  J Care  First  Nat '1  Exchange,  .509  Fifth  Ave,  X.  Y. 

Clements,  Henry  D.... Care  H.  P.  Worthiugton,  935  Security  Bldg., 

Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Coates,  A.  B. 627  Broadalbin  St.,  Albanv,  Ore. 

Cobb,  Thomas  B Box  252  Weston,  Mo. 

Coculo,  Harry Storrs,  Utah 

Cole,  Charles  F -*San  Francisco,  Calif. 

('oles,  Herbert  M. 257  Castro  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

(V)llins,  Ernest  T 929  1st  Ave.,  Spokane,  Wash. 

Conable,   Max    D Gold,    Potter    Co.,    Pa. 

c;oiilin,  Michael 4801  Halsted  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

Connaway,  Elton 75(5  Race  St.,  Denver,  Colo. 

Connell,   Bruce Colorado   Bank    &   Trust   Co.,   Denver,   Colo. 

Council,  John  B Grand  Hotel,  Billings,  Mont. 

Cook,  RoUand  J. 5861   S.  Flower  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Cooper,  Duncan  A Box  167,  Huntintgon,  Quebec,  Canada 

Cotton,  Jerome  L Nespelem,  Wash. 

Curran,  William  H Indiana  Bell  Telephone  Co.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Dahlgren,    Reinhold    E Fergus   Falls,   Minn. 

Davidson,  Neal 2306  11th  Ave.  N.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Davies,  Frank  C 1407  Peoria  Life  Bldg.,  Peoria,  111. 

Davis,  James  L 1429  C  St.,  San  Diego,  Calif. 

Davis,  Walter  A Sebastojjol,  Calif. 

Davis,  Walter  D 209  W.  Heron  St.,  Aberdeen,  Wash. 

DeVecehio,  Walter  W 86  Otis  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Dobbas,  Eugene  B. 1705  H  St.,  Sacramento,  Calif. 

Dolan,  John  A Care  Inter-Allied  Rhineland  High  Commission 

Coblenz,  Germany,  Europe 

Donahue,  Daniel  F Hotel  Imperial,  San  Jose,  Calif. 

Donald,  Frank  E 709  12th  St.,  Modesto,  Calif. 

Dothager,  Harlev Wellsburg,  Iowa 

Driscoll,  George's 128  N.  17th  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Dubois,  Grant  P *Sacramento,  Calif. 

East,  H.  T 7;iii   Insurance   lv\(di;nigv,   I'.ldg.,  Chicago.   111. 

Eggan,  H.  R 1632  Summit  Ave.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Klkins,  Glen  A 263   W.  13th  St.,  Eugene,  Ore. 

Elliott,  Julian 91  N.  Virginia  St..  Reno,  Xev. 

Ellis,  Thomas  Adrian Xiotaze,  Kan.sas 

Evans,  David  W 140  New  Montgomery  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

*     Care  Telephone  Company. 


Mi-:.M()inF:s  ok  tiik  "4nTir' 


Fairbanks,   II.  X SIVA   W.  10th  St.,  Riverside,  Calif. 

Fairbanks,  William  H 309  E.  8th  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Fall,  John  W 914  Wisconsin  St.,  Racine,  Wis. 

Fisher,  Jesse  B 2002  Sunset  Blvd.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif 

Fowler,  Edwin  W. 2122  Cambridge  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Foote,  C.  H *Richmon(l,   Calif. 

Trace,  James  A 616  S.  Oaks  St.,  Tacoma,  Wash. 

Freeman,  Lloyd SI 6  Slieridan  Ave.,  Tacoma,  Wash. 

Garman,  Chas.  C.    Turon,  Kansas 

Garrett,   Klmer  L 16;;2   Fifth  Ave.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Gaskell,  William  E 542  Taylor  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Gershon,  Arthur 4834  Prairie  Ave.,  Chicago,  111. 

Gilbert,  John  H Weed  Lumber  Co.,  Weed,  Calif. 

Gillett,  George  G 1542  W.  55th  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Gingras,  Harry  L.... Box  25,  Ashland,  X.  H. 

Gio,  Fred  A Oregon  Citv,  Ore. 

Glass,  Harry  H 1327  E.  41st  St.,  Los  Angeles,'  Calif. 

Goldenbee,  George 1615  E.  38th  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Gottfried,  La  Von  E _ ^Portland,  Ore. 

Gould,  Charles  R 275  W.  17th  St.,  Eugene,  Ore. 

(iraham,  Emniett  J ....548  South  St.,  Hollister,  Calif. 

Graham,  Henry  J 284  Worcester  Ave.,  Pasadena,  Calif. 

Grav,  Leslie  L 2201  Clinton  Ave.,  Alameda,  Calif. 

Griswold,  A.  H 463  West  St.,  New  York  City 

Guenther,   Charles   E *Dunsnuiir,   Calif. 

Hall,  Herman  H 1886  E.  Yamhill,   Portland,  Ore. 

Hackathorn,  Chas.  C Box  47  Bergholz,  Ohio 

Halpin,  John  W 702  Rider  Ave.,  Akron,  Ohio 

Hansen,  I'eter 609  27th  St.,  Tacoma,  Wash. 

Hansen,  John  W 1115  E.  24th  St.,  Oakland,  Calif. 

Harris,  Ariel  C. 1537  S.  VanNess  Ave.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Harris,  Guy  M ^Portland,  Ore. 

Harter.  Rali)h  1 351  Center  St.,  Naperville,  111. 

Havdoii,  Clarence  1 931  N.  Lake  Ave.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Hei-tor,    Hobart   \V 3006  W.  60th  St.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Heinz,  H.  E 2800  Portland  Ave.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Henry,  F.  P 42  Stockton  St.,  Napa,  Calif. 

Hershberger,  Martin  H. Box  371,  Tucumcari,   N.   Mex. 

Hershev,  B.  A : 802   Kimbark  St.,  Longmont,  Colo. 

Hickey,  Hugh  L 131  Barson  St.,  Santa  Cruz,  Calif. 

Higlev,   Harrison   M Albion,   N.  Y^. 

Hines,  Harry  E Barton,  N.  I). 

Hoffer,  William  J 750  Lawrence   St.,   Eugene,  Ore. 

Holman,  Rav  L Dan\  ille,  Ind. 

Hons,  Alfred  H 86  Otis  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Huff,  William  F 1445  W.  25th  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Hungerford,  Frank  C 143  S.  30th  St.  E.,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa 

Hunter,  Flovd  L Route  2,  Box  1,  Eugene,  Ore. 

Hunter,  Lewis  G 723  E.  35th  St.,  Tacoma,  Wash. 

Hurley,  J.  L Box  456.  Fresno,  Calif. 

Hurwitz,   Monroe 654   Clayton   St.,  San  Francisco,   Calif. 

Huston,  Clark  B ". West  9th  St.,  Albany,  Ore. 

Hutchins,   Ernest   A 526   1st   Ave.,    Seattle,   Wash. 


Care  Telephone  Company. 


LOOKING  FORWARD  179 

Ijams,  Daniel   L *Eugene,  Ore. 

Ilsey  Jaiiu's  II 807  W.  Madison  St.,  Stockton,  Calif. 

Jackson,  Othel  K 518  E.  Hoffman  St.,  Hammond,  Ind. 

Jensen,  Max  A Box  175,  Wyndmere,  N.  I). 

Johnson,  Arthur  L 488  Wilcox  St.,  Hammond,  Ind. 

Johnson,  John  B 82   Rooney   St.,   Santa   Cruz,   Calif. 

Johnson,  Joseph  L... Boone,  Iowa 

Johnson,  John  P. Box  702,  Miles  City,  Mont. 

Johnson,  William  E ..." 992  Minnesota  Ave.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Jones,  Josiah Adamsville,  Utali 

Jones,  Ralph *Portland,   Ore. 

Jordan,  ('has.  E 696  E.  61st  St.  N.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Kearns,  Henry  C 27  16th  St.  S.,  Fargo.  N.  D. 

Kidd,  Martin  C 2100  M  St.,  Sacramento,  Calif. 

Knox,  T.  E Livermore,  Calif. 

Krater,  Alexander  C Indei)endence,  Invo  Co.,  Calif. 

Kruse,  Ered  W 400  F.  Pope  St.,  Palto  Alto,  Calif. 

Kuhn,  Walter  L Clyde  Hotel,  Portland,  Ore. 

Kurtz,  August  L. Saratoga,  Calif. 

Labeau,  Wm.  A 1178   Alhina   Ave.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Lalande,  Earl 221  North  Brov^Mi  St.,  Rhinelander,  Wis. 

Landis,  Frederick  H 2520  High  St.,  Denver,  Colo. 

Lally,  Bartholomew  C. 1370  California  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Langdon,  James  D. 316  Huntington  Ave.,  Boston,  Mass 

Larson,  Charles  O.... 732  Bush  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Larson,  Walter  L 110  North  77th  St.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Latham,   Ernest   L Elks   Club,   Seattle,    Wash. 

Laverty,  Ralph  W. 1123  Devisadero  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Lee,  John  H ......2501  Yesler  Way.  Seattle,  Wash. 

Lemay,  O Tiburon,  Calif. 

Lentfer,  Ernest  W Sylvan  Grove,  Kansas 

Leonhar<l,  Herman  M New  Salem,   N.   Dak. 

LeValley,  C.  L 312  West  Huron,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 

Lewis,  Garner  T. 234  Western  Ave.,  Connersville,  IikI. 

Lindsay,  Ralph  W 510  Van  Buren  St.,  Eugene,  Ore. 

Lonergan,  Jos.  A *Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Lovell,  Arthur Care  I).  H.  McNulty,  1807  Lunt  Ave.,  Chicago,  111. 

Lucia,  James 14  Sonora  Place,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Lundy,   Don   J ..1624   42nd   Ave.    No.,    Seattle,    Wash. 

Lynch,  Edward  S 543  Harlan  St.,  Emoryville,  Calif. 

Lvnch,  John.... 515  Thomas  St.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

AfcArtor,  Leo ....R.  F.  D.  No.  3,  Box  28,  Tacoma,  Wash. 

McCall,  Clyde  D 9;i7  Fast  Everett  St.,   Portland,  Ore. 

McConougiiy,  Geo.  E.. 2011   5th  Ave.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

McCreary,  Alfred  B Watertowii,  S.  I). 

McCoy,  I)r.  A.  D.  S Leiterman  (Jeneral  Hospital,  San  I-'rancisco,  Calif. 

McDaniel,  Alvin  R .    K'alls,  Texas 

McDonald,  Hector  C 1262    N'alencia   St.,  San    Francisco,  Calif. 

McDonald,  Roy  M .....1220  West  Main  St.,  Fort  Wayne.  Ind. 

McDonald,  W."  F *  Fresno,  Calif. 

McGrew,  Harrv  J 17351/^  Sante  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

McKelvey,  Patrick  J 309  East  8th  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

McNulty',  D.  H 1807  Lunt   Ave.,  Chicago,   HI. 

"     Care  Telephone   Company. 


180  MEMOKIES  OF  THE  -'^llTir- 

MacNaniara,  Arthur  K 715  Mission  St.,  San  Eafael,  Calif. 

Madeira,  Chester  U 2;52  East  89th  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Manny,  Karl  C 2.37  East  47th  Place,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Maynaril,  Jr.,  Raymond  K 1015  Fair  Oaks,  So.  Pasadena,  Calif. 

Mead,  Earl  A Care  Interniountain  Institute,  Weiser,  Idaho 

Mendelson,  Jos .1618  ;5rd  Ave.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Mereier,  Albert  C .404  West  72ud  St.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Merrill,  Warren  S *San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Mervine,  Harry , Conrad,  Iowa 

Meyer,  Edward  M *Portland,   Ore. 

Miller,  Edward  A 1121  Franklin  St.,  Bellingham,  Wash. 

Miller,  Geo.  W 706  South  8th  St.,  Norfolk,  Neb. 

Milner,  John  A Benton,  Wis. 

Montanye,  Wni.  D. W^  1424  Grace  Ave.,  Spokane,  Wash. 

Moon,  Goldwin  F 8536  Dibble  Ave.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Moore,  C.  H Reno,  Nevada 

Morris,  L.  W" 2726  Bush  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Myers,  Geo.  E .' 1224  Taylor  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Neighbor,  Roy R.  F.  D.  No.  2,  Kirklaud,  Wash. 

Nelson,  Fred 1448   35th   St.,  Oakland,   Calif. 

Nelson,  John 1433  Mansfield  Ave.,  Spokane,  Wash. 

Nesvig,  John Box  345,  Leeds,  N.  D. 

Nicholson,  Christopher  S 582  E.  21st  St.  N.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Niemoeller,  E.  F.  W 2913  Bailey  Ave.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Nooney,  Jesse 2908  15th  Ave.   S.,   Seattle,  Wash. 

Norbo,  Joe Bemidji,  Minn.,  Route  No.  2 

Northup,  Harold  W ..*Sacramento,   Calif. 

Olseu,  Hans 934  Davis  Place,   Seattle,  Wash. 

O 'Neil,  J.  B ..2507  K  St.,  Sacramento,  Calif. 

Ortner,  Fred  J 1600  39th  Ave.,  Oakland,  Calif. 

Parker,  John  L Rohrsburg,   Col.   Co.,   Pa. 

Partridge,  Ralph  F 718  N.  Madison  Ave.,  Pasadena,  Calif. 

Patterson,  John  B .546  9th  Ave.  E.,  Eugene,  Ore. 

Patterson,  Percv  J Care  546  9th  Ave.  E.,  Eugene,  Ore. 

Phillips,  Frederick  T 4122  So.  K  St.,  Tacoma,  Wash. 

Pierce,  Harold .3503  Arroyo  Seco  Ave.,  Los  Angeles,  Caalif. 

Pierce,  W.  H 137V^   South  Ave.  19,   Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Porter,  Aubrey  A 8668  B  Drive,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Powell,  P.  M 707  Jefferson  Ave.,  Toledo,  Ohio 

Prince,  Richard  W 646  Kline  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Quinn,  John  T Care  Porto  Rico  Telephone  Co.,  San  Juan,  Porto  Rico 

Radford,  George  A 4711   7th  Ave.  N.  E.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Reger,  F.  J 521  A  St.,  Santa  Rosa,  Calif. 

Richardson,  Jay  G Colton,  N.  Y. 

Riley,  Roscoe  C "Portland,  Ore. 

Robb,  ('harles  A 326  W.  Hawthorne  St.,  Eureka,  Calif. 

Rochford,  Charles  H. Corning,  Calif. 

Rolisou,  Alvin  M Redding,  Calif. 

Rolph,  Carl  D .108  E.  28th  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Rose,  Charles  L South  Bend,  Wash. 

*     Care  Tele2)hone  Company. 


LOOKING  FORWARD  181 

Rutherfurd,  Geo.  R.  O *Safraniento,  Calif. 

Kiitledse,  M.  M. l;i8  W.  S.ird  St.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Ryder,   Earl  A *Portland,  Ore. 

Saunder.s,  Francis  M 1649  Woodside  Ave.,   Los  Angeles,   Calif. 

Sawyer,  Eugene  M 1.5.5  W.  75th  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Schuehterman,  Ferdinand  H... 129  N.  Second  St.,  Alhambra,  Calif. 

Schussman,  A.  W P.  O.  Box  905,  Ritzville,  Wash. 

Shapland,  Ernest  R 22(i  Curtis  St.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Shelton,  L.  R *San  Francisco,  (Jalif. 

Sheridan,  Frank  F 130  S.  5th  E.,  Salt  Lake  Citv,  Utah 

Sherrett,   Harold  J Apt.  F.,   340   Grant   St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Simmons,  A.  L 516  Kiowa  St.,  Leavenworth,  Kansas 

Skwira,  Peter R.  F.  D.  Xo.  2,  Box  39,  Holdingford,   Minn. 

Smith,  Bert  B *Seattle,   Wash. 

Smith,  Curtis  K Beamau,  Iowa 

Smith,  Chas.  Watt 1831  Berrymau   St.,   Berkeley,  Calif. 

Smith,  Frank  C... 412  11th  St.,  Pacific  Grove,  Calif. 

Smith,  Harry  Jas ....R.  F.  D.  No.  4,  Box  239,  Seattle,   Wash. 

Snelling,  Harrie 182  E.  California  St.,  Pasadena,  Calif. 

Solberg,  L  B 108  Linn  St.,  Ithaca,  X.  Y. 

Staggs,   Norman   K *Spokane,    Wash. 

Stamp,  Ira  M 114  N.  48th  St.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Stewart,  James  F. Atwater,  Ohio 

Stier,  Carl  L 1524  W.   Gardner  Ave.,  Spokane,   Wash. 

Stockman,  J.   A. 746  Orange   St.,  Riverside,   Calif. 

Stradley,   Charlie  C... 916  W.  35th  Place,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Taylor,  John  C ^Portland,  Ore. 

Tennant,  L.  V Cuban  Telephone  Co.,  Calle  Aguila  161-167,  Havana,  Cuba 

Thatcher,   Thomas  L Port   Gamble,   Wash. 

Theroux,   George .Care  Fred  A.   Gio,  Oregon   City,  Ore. 

Thomas,  Edwin  S ..266  N.  loth  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Thomas,  James  R American  Oil  Fields  Co.,  Fellows,  C!alif. 

Thompson,  George  C 86  Otis  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Torrey,   Frank  W .....Russ  House,   S  1st   St.,   San  Jose,   Calif. 

Treen",  Shirley  M 419  W.  73rd  St.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

True,  Wallace  W. 2402  California  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Tuel,   Clyde  L P.  O.  Box  No.  36,  Sumner,   Wasli. 

Tustin,  E.  B 578  S.  11th  St.,  San  Jose,  Calif. 

Underwood,  Ralph 'Port  la  ml,   Ore. 

A'eazey,  John  J 516  S.  Stafford  Ave.,  Huntington  Park,  L.  A.  Co.,  Calif. 

Vehslage,  Herman  C Artois,  Glenn  Co.,  Calif. 

Yochatzer,  George  W Merrill,  Ore. 

Yogel,  Arthur  M 1721  15th  St.,  Su])erior,  Wis. 

Wagner,  Raljjh  E 23  Homestead  St.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Ward,  Arthur  B .■>804  California  St.,  San   Francisco,  Calif. 

Ward,  Louis  J Letterman  General  Hospital,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Warner,  Charles 509  W.  Sinto  Ave.,  Spokane,   Wash. 

Warner,  Harry   E 1548  B.  3rd  Ave.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Weaver,  Elmo  B 1022  E.  68th  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Webb,  Thomas  T. 327  Henry  Bldg.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

*     Care  Telephone  Conijiany. 


182  .ME.MOKIKS  OF  THE  ••411Tir" 

Webster,  K.  S Orleans,  Yt. 

Weimer,   Leslie   L 801'    S.    Traftou,    T;u-oma,    Wash. 

Weitendorf,  Ezra  W 1469  Richard  St.,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Wells,  William  M *Los   Angeles,   Calif. 

Wheeler,  Lvle  H 252.5  E.  .S7th  St.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Wilkinson,  George  A 115  W.  Green  St.,  Ithaea,  N.  Y. 

Wilkinson,  Leland  S 115  W^.  Green  St.,  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 

Williams,  John  C - ^Portland,  Ore. 

Williams,  Robert  E. 91:5  N.  12th  St.,  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 

Wiswell,  A'irgil  W 416  2()th  Ave.,  San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Woodward,  Daniel  D *y^ortland,  Ore. 

Woodward,  Franklyn  H P.  O.  Box  21.!,  [Milwaukee,  Ore. 

Woolsey,  Harold  B 1146  Formosa  Ave.,  Hollywood,  Calif. 

Woolsey,  Leon  H Tehachapi,  Calif. 

Worthington,  H.  P 9;i5  Security  Bldg.,  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

Yarnell,  Donald  I\I.  -   800  Howard  Ave.,  Altoona,  Pa. 

Young,  Neal  D Shirley,  Maine 

Younger,  Robert  C 1240  Dolore-s  Way,  Sacramento,  Calif. 

*     ('are  Telephone  Company. 

In  conclusion,  the  ^\•l■itel•  laiow.s  of  no  better  creed  to  leave 
with  his  old  conii-ades  tlian  to  ([uote  the  preainl)le  to  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  American  Le,uion  : 

"For  God  and  Country,  Ave  associate  ourselves  to.aether  for 
the  followinii'  [Purposes:  To  uphold  and  defend  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States  of  America;  to  maintain  law  and  or- 
der; to  foster  and  perpetuate  a  one  hundred  per  cent  Ameri- 
canism ;  to  i)reserve  tht^  memories  and  incid(Mits  of  our  associa- 
tion in  th';'  Great  War;  to  incidcate  a  sense  of  individual  ol)li- 
•iation  to  the  community,  state  and  nation;  to  combat  the 
autocracy  of  both  the  classes  and  tlie  masses;  to  make  riiiht  the 
master  of  miuht;  to  promote  peace  and  good  will  on  earth;  to 
safeguard  and  transmit  to  i)osterity  the  principles  of  justice, 
freedom  and  democracy;  to  consecrate  and  sanctify  our  com- 
radeship l)y  oui-  devotion  to  nnitnal  liclpfuliicss. " 

FINIS. 


Members  o{  Battalion  at   Domremay.  birthplace 
of  .loan  d'Arc,   "The  Maid  ol  Oreleans." 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  tfie  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


m  m 

DEC  0  4  1997 

SRLF 
2  WEEK  LOAN 


8 


^ 

s 

^ 

O 

^ 

> 

tl 

H 

t?d 

ts* 

l-> 

G> 

«-3 

M 

•n 

O 

» 

S 

'^ 

CO 

M 
C/3 
CO 


H3 


O 
o 


fj 
o 

o 
o 


o  o 

(_l    c+ 

o 


This  little  sheirt  is  -'.  s^r.ple  f)t  v/hat  we  should  like  t-    send,   pcriod- 
iCP.lly,  to  all  r.cmberc  of  the  eld  411th.     In  it  we  want  to   distribute  to    everycne, 
little   iters  of   intcrcEt;  news  of  prcfent  wheroab-uts^  trials,   tribula+icns  :ind 
perhaps  recall  a  fc\7  sc?jid:ils  of  the-  pp.st.     i^iany  r.re  the  tiir.es  v/hcn  we  have  a  few 
quiet  inor.ents  to   -ursclvcs  frr  thought  r.nd  rer:itiiscence  thct  we  recall  those  good 
rid  times.     Bad  sor.etir.cE,   surei     But  wc  h^ve  frrgottcn  fr.pst  of  these.     We  even 
recall  with  pleasure  the  tir.e  in  Jlor.tercy  'vhen,    filled  -rith   self-i:;.prrtance  over  the 
fact  that  wc  had   just  lerrncd  t-    drive  a  rctfrcyclfe,  v/C   srnshed  the  blrr.cd  thins  ^? 
and  were  nearly  c-urt-rartialed    for   it.      Tic  get    little  tugs   at  the  heart-strings  ever 
r.any  of  the  &],d  r.cir.erics,   net  the  least   cf  these  one  of  Borne  passing  out  the;  "rice 
and"   in  the  grey  davm,   and  when  we  recer.bcr  Miller  and  Bailey  after  a  day  in  the  wild- 
ernees  pushing  the  eld  Garf^rd  over  the  slippery  places  en  the  road  frcr.  Fcrt  de  B- is 
BourruE.     With  rapture  wo  close  our  eyes  and  see  big  Tt-rroy  directing  the  French 
"jazz"  crchoctra  at  Hcnt  Luis. 

'.Ve  get  hrrresick   for  a  talk  with  the  old  "gang",  get  tc  wondering  where 
they  are,  what  they  are  dcing.     V/herc  is  Morris,  how  is  Patterson,  Burns,   Brant, 
what   is  Davies  doing  these  daysS 

Don't  ycu  see  the  possibilities;     If  this  sheet    is  the  neans  of  get- 
ting the  old  bunch  together,   cf  placing  one  in  touch  with  mother;   if  it  remakes  old 
friendships,   not  frrgctti.n  but  neglected,    it  will  have  served   its  purpose.      Let's 
keep  it  alive.     Who  knows  but  that   it  may  be  the  r.c^.r.E  cf,    someday,   getting  us  r.ll 
together   for  a  grand  reu:ii-nl 

00000000 
,,     ^  ^^^  Gevcrnrent   printin£  cffico  has  on  sale  a  Dair-phlet  cf  interest  tc 

all  who    served  in  France  and  especially  to  those  who  operated  with  the  First  Arr.y, 

llnll  V^l^^i'"^  ^^t   "l^Tl  ^"'^^^  ""^  ^""-   ^'-^^  J-  P'^rsJiing."     The  cost   is   eighty-five 
cents  and  It  imy  b=  had  bv  writing  to  Wr.  J.  H.  Brinker,   SuT,erintendent  rf 

wTaHp^rSio^^:  '''''^''''  ''   ''     ^'-  ^-^^^^  --^^^-  -P^  and^Lc^unts  of  all 
00000000 

All  liaill     Jess  Fisher  is  itrrried.     The  happy  cruple  have  a  crcfcrtable 
billet  in  cne  of  L-s  Aiigelea'   beat  apartr.ents.  Ho  drives  his  ovm  ccJ-  and  furnishes 
his  o^n  gasoline.  Jess  will  be  rcr.er.bcred  as  the  bry  whoso  credit  was  always  good 
with  the  i::ess-sergeant, 

•  00000000 

Dr.  McCoy  has  received  a  perr.saient  coracission  in  the  Kedieal  Corps, 
P.agular  Anr.y.  The  Majcr  is  stc.ticned  at  the  Letterr..an  Hospital,   Presidio  of   San 
"         '^'         Ask  "D-c"  who  threw  the  hand-full  of  shells  in  the  fire  at  Les^jtes! 


enlistr:cnt, 
when  chow  is 

"Sacrar.ento"  Jci 
Jre  is  very  acti- 
served. 

3  O'lliel  is  still  on  the  job  in  the 
ifo  in  the  Airxrican  Legion  being  pre 

00000000 

town  o! 
sent   at 

■  hie 

all  I 

Grant  DuBois,  erstwhile  battalion  supply  sergeant,  is  pursuing  sor.e- 
rhat  si.T.iliar  duties  in  the  Traffic  Depactir.o-.-.t  in  5acrar:cntc.  We  often  wo:3de:-  if  hi^ 
wuld  again  like  tc   make  that  trip  from  Savcncv  tc   St,  Btienne  "per  l.:ctccyclet". 

00000000 

■Harold  W,  Northup  hasn't  yet  gotten  over  the  habit  of  hidinc  his 

is  nov/  handling  the  cciTx:is:;rry  chest 
sar-.e  brand. 

00000000 

We  v/ant  to   he?x  fror.  every   person  v;ho  receives  this  initial  co;jy. 
Give  us  cotjrents  nnd  v/liatever  news    items  you  can  prrvide.      It  hrs  been  cftiraS-ed 
that  with   six  issues  a  year   (cne  every  two  conths)   twenty-five  cents  fron  each  will 
cover  the  prstage  and  crst  of  the  paper,_ 

If  ycu  ch2.nge  yr-ur  address  let  us  knew,     The;whclc  cutfit   is   interest- 
ed in  what  you  are  doing  —  ?.nd  we  are  trying  to   prrvide  thc.mcdiur.,     Wiith  the 
"Battalion  History"     and  y-ur  "file"  --f  thi?  she-et  yu  willhrwe  a  little  £t:/y  of 
every  r.rn  v/ho  was  in  t!;e  crganirrticn.     Twenty  years  frcr.  new  your  children  will 
wan^  to  know  about  hew  Jerry  Hui-ley  w.is  wou:ided  i;i  the  Argcnne  -  and  "'There  is  he 
now,  Papa?"     You  can  toll  ther.  that  Jerry  is   still  hiking  sticks  for  The  ?,I.  &  T.Co, 
Jiand  getting  all  fixed  for  a  pension. 

Address  all  coracunicaticns  to 

G,  R,  Hutherfurd, 
1411  "J"  Street, 
Sr.crrj7.ento ,   Calif-rr.ia, 


c/o  The  F.T. 
COKPJUT  ATTEITIONI 


8 

> 

1-3 

'-> 
H] 
M 
O 


o 

'-3 


M 

CO 

M 

cn 
W 


»> 

HJ 

• 

en  M  q: 

o 

n  iP«  ♦ 

o 

O    M 

« 

'-i  t-'  :^. 

r?         • 

ti     - 

fi     -• 

O     «-i    lii- 

t5     =  c 

c4-           c4 

o    cn  D 

■<•       c+    O 

»1     *-} 

O   O     ►-'3 

P    q    C 

M   c»-   -J 

H-*       p. 

J-T               «• 

O 

•f 

•  ^ 

H- 

P 

• 

A     000  085  963 


